Daniel Was Branded by God

Sunday, April 7th, 2013 at 2:00 pm  
Leave your comment

Daniel fascinates me.

I have been studying the book of Daniel in preparation for the Branded by God Telestudy taking place this evening. Simultaneously, I have been reading Branding Pays by Karen Kang and have been amazed at how God has helped me make danielconnections between the two—Daniel and personal branding.

It has been said that personal branding is nothing but showcasing who you are and what you specialize in and my Heavenly Father does that oh, so well. I know that might sound strange but God is the Master Marketer—the omnipotent one who by the very nature of who He is draws men, women, boys, and girls to Him. He specializes in healing broken hearts, setting captives free, “so loving the world”, and granting eternal life.

Even way back in the Old Testament, you can see how He orchestrates what I call Divine Personal Branding through those He chose and Daniel is no different. In fact, Daniel epitomizes Divine Personal Branding–discovering who you are in God’s eyes, knowing what He has called you to do, and then using your gifts and talents to serve those He has called you to serve.

The Incredible Account

Right out of the gate, in chapter one, it is clear that Daniel attracts King Nebuchadnezzar’s chief official Ashpenaz because he meets the king’s criteria. He is—

  • A young man without any physical defect
  • Handsome
  • Showing aptitude for every kind of learning
  • Well-informed
  • Quick to Understand
  • Qualified to serve in the king’s palace

Then, we find out that Daniel makes a decision. He decides that he will not defile his body with the food and wine from the king’s table. He graciously makes his decision known to Ashpenaz, the very same chief official who selected him to be of service to the king in the next three years.

The beautiful thing is that God caused Ashpenaz to show favor and sympathy to Daniel and as the story is told, it becomes obvious that the two of them have an amicable relationship. Ashpenaz shares his concern for his life in regards to allowing Daniel to deny the king’s dietary plan and Daniel demonstrates his genuine concern for Ashpenaz’s well-being by “submitting” what I will call a proposal.

He suggests that Ashpenaz allow him and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (better known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) to do a trial run for ten days. They would eat only veggies and water during that time and then see if they still looked as debonair as the other young men who were also “in training.”  Ashpenaz accepts the proposal, so only veggies and water are served to them.

The Bible says—

“At the end of the ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So, the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.” (Daniel 1: 15-16 NIV)

But it gets even better.

The Bible also says—

“To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, so they entered the king’s service.

In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.” (Daniel 1: 17-21 NIV)

Divine Personal Branding Personified

Interestingly, there are some very evident principles of personal branding in this very first chapter of Daniel that I believe will help you as you walk in your Divine Personal Brand:

  1. Personal branding begins with having a goal and a strategy to achieve it. That strategy involves positioning yourself as one who solves a problem or enables an opportunity. 

  2. A strong personal brand is the key to influence, opportunities and advancement. 

  3. Personal branding is not merely cosmetic. It must be fueled by substance. Concepts from Branding Pays: The Five-Step System to Reinvent Your Personal Brand by Karen Kang

Daniel knew exactly what he stood for. He knew the exact impression he wanted to make. Because of his commitment to serve God, faithfully, he made a decision to be who God had called him to be even while he was being held captive by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar.

In Leviticus 11, God had already made it clear what He viewed as clean and unclean in terms of His people’s diet and unlike the other young men who had also been selected to serve the king; Daniel was determined to honor God even in the midst of this situation.

In doing so, he set himself apart. Not only did he distinguish himself from all of the other handsome, fit, intelligent, qualified young men, but he provided evidence that he was who he said he was when he (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) ended up looking healthier and better nourished than those who ate the king’s food.

The reward…..

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah outshone even the king’s magicians and enchanters and the king found them 10x better.

Your Take-Away

Assess your personal brand and determine whether it is divine. In other words, ask yourself if you are doing what God has called you to do, using  your gifts and talents in such a way that those who are drawn to you recognize that the hand of God must be on  your life. Remember, that when you are in the zone, what you do appears effortless to those who observe you. This is the sure sign of walking in your divine personal brand.

Make a decision to never waver. Do what He has called you to do in the way He has called you to do it. In other words, differentiate yourself from the pack of folks who do what you do by sharing your knowledge but also by being known for something of value. Resist the desire to blend in with the world’s norms or ways of doing things. Hold fast to your faith and be the one to stand out.

Evaluate your brand image. Your image includes your brand associations, your visual branding and your relationship branding. Daniel appealed to Ashpenaz and King Nebuchadnezzar because he was attractive, smart, and well-informed. He also associated with others who held his same convictions. And, from what we see, he knew how to build relationships with not only his peers, but with those in authority. Likewise, you must determine whether your brand associations, external image, and relationship image align in such a way that you attract those you have been called to serve.

Finally, become an influencer as a result of being seen as the BEST person to deliver the solution.

It’s 2013 and time for the real believers to un-apologetically walk in our Divine Personal Brands.

Let’s go!

 

Peace and Blessings,

Do You Sound Like A Leader?

Thursday, April 4th, 2013 at 5:00 am  
Leave your comment

The sound of your voice, the words you choose, your body language–they all work together giving people a sense of your intelligence, your professionalism, your energy.

People base their perception of you on what you communicate and most importantly, how you communicate it. The question is,

“Is the delivery of your message complimenting your personal brand or hindering it?

According to Dr. Carol Fleming, speech pathologist and personal communication coach, how we say what we say matters more than its the way you say it book coverwe know. In her book, It’s The Way You Say It: Becoming Well-Spoken, Articulate, and Clear, she says:

While  your expertise and skills are, of course, essential, it is your personal verbal communication that transmits your expertise and confidence to other people.

She also shares that

….your body, words, and voice must ideally communicate the same thing at the same time for [you] the speaker to come across as professional, trustworthy, and appealing.

 

Personal Assessment

So, do you sound like a leader?

  • Are you attracting those you have been called to serve?
  • Are you attracting those who could possibly partner with you in a business venture?
  • Are you attracting those who might contribute to your mission?

The Interview with Dr. Carol Fleming

Answer those questions and then listen to the in-depth conversation I had with Dr. Carol Fleming on Tuesday, April 2nd. She has 30 years of experience in the field of speech pathology and it is evident in her very detailed responses to the questions that I ask. We even went over our 45 minutes a tad because she had so much to share and I had so much to ask. In fact, she didn’t even get to answer all of the questions I had. You know me….my inquiring mind wants to know. :)

Listen Now Fleming,CarolBW

Listen to internet radio with kelliegardner on Blog Talk Radio

About Dr. Carol Fleming

Dr. Carol Fleming has been working with people on refining the sound of their voices for over 30 years. As a speech and language pathologist, she uses education and skills developed for the clinic and apply them to the more subtle needs of the business and professional world.

While others may offer public speaking training, speech therapy, or theater skills, Dr. Fleming takes a holistic approach helping people address any concerns they may have about the impression they make by the way they communicate both verbally and non-verbally.

The second edition of her book, It’s The Way You Say It, was just released in March 2013. She is also the author of two bestselling audio programs–The Sound of Your Voice and The Serious Business of Small Talk. You can learn more about her at www.speechtraining.com.

Peace and Blessings,

My Mind’s Playing Tricks On Me

Monday, April 1st, 2013 at 5:00 am  
Leave your comment

valedictorian medalI was the valedictorian of the Class of ’89 at Cresset Christian Academy in Durham, N.C.

Although, I had always loved school and did my very best since kindergarten; I’d worked extremely hard to “prove” myself once my mom enrolled me in a Christian school my eighth grade year. I was the only student of color in my class, so I felt this insurmountable pressure to show my classmates that I was just as smart as or even smarter than they were. I never imagined that my hard work would position me to have the highest GPA. It never even crossed my mind.

So, when I found out that I was valedictorian, I was so shocked. You might say I was flabbergasted.

Well, you may have thought that I would have gone on to some Ivy League College or at least gone to one of the larger more competitive public universities in North Carolina or some other state.

You may have thought that I would have pursued a career that would have paid me six figures, easily, in the mid ’90′s like law, accounting, computer technology, marketing and advertising, or even medicine; but, I didn’t.

In fact, when it came time for me to choose a career and an institution of higher learning, I settled.

I settled because I did not go to the college that I really wanted to go to and I did not choose the career path that I really wanted to choose. I chose to play it  safe in both regards. I chose to go to a very small HBCU (historically Black College or University) in North Carolina and I chose to major in elementary education.

SAFE. SAFE. SAFE.

I now know that what fueled my logic, what fed my sense of inadequacy, even though my entire scholastic record said I was highly capable,  is something called the Impostor Syndrome. It is the reason I literally talked myself out of taking risks and really pushing myself after high school.

But, don’t cry for me. :)

Even though I  may have short-changed myself to some degree, this post is not about obsessing over the past. It is about acknowledging a mindset that is very prevalent in successful people–particularly women.

The Impostor Syndrome is a very real phenomenon that successful women, professional women, and women who are climbing the-bring-home-the-bacon-fry-it-up-in-a-pan-I-am-every-woman-ladder struggle with in spite of their abilities, education, salaries, and accolades.

This post is about resetting our minds so that we do not allow this syndrome to overtake us and keep us from joyfully fulfilling our divine purpose.

Assess Yourself

Do you suffer from listening to the “private voices of self-doubt” even though you are an accomplished leader in your field? 

Have you obtained the education, accolades, awards, and salary of  an expert in your industry but yet you struggle with believing that you really deserve any of it?

Do people consider you a role model or look to you for great counsel and advice; yet, inside you are still asking yourself questions like “What if they find out I’m not as smart as they think I am? or “Can I really pull this off?”

If so, you may be suffering from the hidden fears and insecurities that millions of successful people struggle with known as the Impostor Syndrome and it is time that you are SET FREE.

Interview with Dr. Valerie  Young Valerie-Young (1)

On Friday, March 29th, I had a wonderful discussion about this subject with Dr. Valerie Young, author of The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Impostor Syndrome and How To Thrive In Spite of It. She shared strategies that will help you transform your thinking so that you can “reach new heights” and “positively thrive.”

Dr. Young is an accomplished speaker and her career-related tips have been cited in publications around the world including The Wall Street Journal, USA Weekend, More magazine, Woman’s Day, Redbook, Psychology Today, The Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Daily Mail, The Irish Independent, and Entrepreneur to name a few. You can learn more about her at www.impostorsyndrome.com.

Listen Now

Listen to internet radio with kelliegardner on Blog Talk Radio

Thoughts From You

  • What Do You Think About This Phenomenon?
  • Have you experienced it or do you know someone who has? Please share your thoughts below. I love to hear from you! :)

Subscribe to Books That Transform

Peace and Blessings,

Using Words to Shape Your Future Every Single Day

Sunday, March 17th, 2013 at 6:45 am  
Leave your comment

It’s  4:37 a.m. and I am wide awake.

Don’t worry. I took a very long nap yesterday evening….slept from 5-8:30 p.m.

So, after my daughter went to bed, I decided that I should get my all new vision board done….finally. (After all, the first quarter of the year is almost up.)

It had been leaning against the French doors in my great room, as they call it nowadays, since January–almost blank, with images just on the left side. The images reflected my future physique and the verbiage I’d so carefully cut out of my Oxygen magazines reinforced my goals.

The incompleteness of the board would not be so obvious if it were the normal poster size. But, I had to be all I could be and get the absolute largest size that Office Depot had to offer. You may not believe this but the foam board is the size of a mini billboard….honestly.

Don’t ask me why.

Word Wall

Word Wall

Okay, so here’s why….:)

Well, the day that I was in Office Depot and I spotted the huge foam board, I got this bright idea. If I were to take that huge board home with me, it would be large enough for me to include the vision for all areas of my life—family, health, business/finances, and spirituality/relationships. That would alleviate the pain of having to be so selective when I chose pics and phrases and would also keep me from having to create several boards.

Thankfully, I was driving my mother’s Dodge Caravan that day because I would have never been able to fit it into the backseat or trunk of my G35.

And so it is that just a few hours ago, around midnight, I pulled out two of my favorite movies that I’d purchased but never had a chance to watch at home—The Devil Wears Prada and The Lake House—rounded up 20 or more magazines and my favorite pair of scissors and got to work.

While I was working, it suddenly dawned on me that I was finding more words, more phrases than actual images that depicted my vision. And, then a great idea came to mind.

Creating a Word Wall

When I taught elementary school, one wall of my classroom was dedicated to the Word Wall. It was a wall that had each letter of the alphabet from A to Z spread across the top in a straight line. Each week, I would choose five words as the focus of our spelling and word activities. We would play all kinds of word games with the words, discuss their definitions, create sentences, etc. etc. On Friday, I would give a quick assessment of the words and then post the words to the Word Wall under the letter that each word started with. By the end of the year, the wall looked like a living, breathing dictionary on the wall and I just loved seeing how many words my students had mastered in just one year.

The grand idea that came to mind was what if I created a Word Wall of sorts? What if I focused first on just finding words that express who I am becoming, what I want, where I want to be, how I want to impact the world, and so forth and so on? What if I then, designated a notebook for declaring my future via my Word Wall?

I could choose one word or phrase every morning or every night and write a sentence in my Word Wall Journal about my future. For example: Blast calories and burn fat! is a phrase on my foam board right now. I could write a sentence that reads: Each day, I will blast calories and burn fat by doing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and weight training five days per week.

This idea got my juices flowing.

I became so excited that I had to stop myself because finding these descriptive, inspiring, life-shaping words was getting too good and taking me to where I am now—into the wee hours of the morning.

So, here I am asking you to consider trying this spin on your vision board with me. It will suddenly make the board interactive, meaningful, and vocal; and in a strange way, it will hold you accountable to what you have promised yourself, making sure you don’t push the board in a corner where it will collect dust.

Each day, your Word Wall will be at the top of your mind either when you wake up or when you go to bed at night. What a great way to program your mind!

Pics of my Word Wall

Here are pictures of the makings of my Word Wall. I am not quite finished. I am going to devote 30 minutes a day to it until it is done. I really want to find more words and then find some compelling images to associate with them. I think I am also going to have to do an “And all these things….” Word Wall. It will be devoted to those brand names, the fashion, the dream home, the vacations, the philanthropic efforts, etc. etc. that will come as the vision becomes my visual reality. :)

 The Left Side

2013-03-17_03.58.19

                                          The Center

2013-03-17_04.00.14

2013-03-17_03.58.47

                                                                                                                  The Magazines

It’s Your Turn :)

Join me in shaping your life with words every single day—words that will inspire you to never lose focus of your vision.

 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Peace and Blessings,
 Page 2 of 67 « 1  2  3  4  5 » ...  Last » 

WordPress Web Hosting