Sure, your personal brand and your message can be focus-grouped and wordsmithed by others. But the best place to look, at least initially, is at the stories you tell, to yourself and about yourself. You’ll start to see patterns and themes — if most of your most meaningful experiences are centered on global leadership, or if the “moral” of most of your stories is about the need for better executive communication, then you’re on your way to finding the essence of your brand.

via Discover Your Personal Narrative – Dorie Clark – Harvard Business Review.

For a short piece this post is one of the more thought provoking blog articles you’ll ever read.  What is your personal narrative?  What stories do you find yourself telling over and over?  What is your true voice?  What defines you?  What is your essence?

Take your time.  This project will take some time.