I’m done hiding—now I’m shining

You don’t need to be 100% ready to shine.

Showing up at 60% is shining in itself.

Stop shrinking Give yourself permission to shine
I used to say: The point of “Now I’m shining” isn’t “You’ve gotten stronger”—it’s about revealing your original light.
Worried about what others think of you. Hesitant to speak up. Worried about not being good enough or professional. Careful in front of people you like, afraid of “not performing well” in front of mentors. Energy. Emotional empathy. Social skills. Warmth. Creativity. Thinking ability. Speed of growth. Motivation. Presence.

Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement

Habits_are_compound_interest

Reputation

You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.

Reputation = value delivered, not value possible in the future.

Networking

NETWORKING: TRY THIS. HI: Best part of your week. LOW: Most challenging. BUFFALO: Something unexpected about you.

“Maybe I can share my hi, low, and buffalo—we used this in a workshop and I liked it.”

“This is something I learned in a workshop—hi is the best part of your week, low is the most challenging, and buffalo is something unexpected.”

The Four Hurdles

The Four Hurdles: Lack of Confidence. Personality Blaming. Lack of Know-How. Overwhelm & Inaction—Overwhelmed → Stagnation

1 Everyone gets stuck (it’s not just your problem)

So don’t beat yourself up over it.

2 There are only 4 types of reasons for getting stuck

Every problem you face fits into one of these 4 categories.

3 Once you know which category you’re in → you can find the right solution

For example:

4 Recognizing the obstacle is more important than pushing harder

Because the harder you go in the wrong direction, the more exhausted you become.

Reputation Now

Reputation Now:

  1. CHARACTER Question: What would others say about you when you’re not in the room?
  2. CAPABILITY Question: Is there something you’re known for delivering better than most?
  3. COMMUNICATION Question: If someone were to advocate for you, is it clear what they’d say?

Your current reputation is a combination of how people see you as a person + your ability + your label.

Three years from now, when people introduce me, what do I want them to say?

Who you are now → how you want to be seen in the future → the gap in between = what you’re going to do next.

SOAR

What is SOAR?

SOAR is a storytelling framework that’s clearer and better for documenting growth than STAR.

It has four parts:

S - Situation

What happened? What’s the context?

O - Obstacle

What’s the problem? What’s the difficulty?

⭐ This is the key to SOAR because “Obstacle = where your value appears.”

A - Action

What did you do? What specific behaviors did you take? (Focus on “I,” not the team.)

R - Result

What are the results? Numbers, impact, growth—what do people say about you?

Three Principles of Marketing

Put the Three Principles of Marketing in your Elevator Pitch so people remember you, understand you, and want to help you faster.

AWARENESS - What do you want people to know about you? (Building impressions)

VALUE PROPOSITION - Why you? (Your value, your highlights)

CALL TO ACTION - What do you want them to do next? (Tell them “what’s next”)

Why do this?

Because in networking, workplace, or mentor events:

That’s why many people don’t make a connection after they introduce themselves.

They’re sharing “facts,” not “brand.”

V - Visual. A - Auditory. K - Kinesthetic.

You need to communicate in a way that reaches all three types of people: Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic.

Reputation Reboot (Bingo!)

Reconnect with your WINS Ask for a BOOST Try a Tiny RISK
Share a success story with a friend/colleague Ask someone “Tell me something I do well?” Say YES to ONE new thing today
Write down 2 things you learned from your latest setback Message someone you admire and ask for a chat Do one thing you’ve been avoiding
Reflect on a compliment you received—Why did it matter? Send a Thank You to someone who helped you Create a bold LinkedIn post

Reconnect with your confidence and remember your value.

Rebuild positive perceptions and learn more about yourself.

Change your behavior and build a new professional image.

It’s a “Small Habits → Big Impact” system.

YOUR ZONES

Zone OrangePersonal Brand, Clarity & Presence Zone PinkCredibility & Growth Zone GreenExecutive Visibility & Influence
Personal Branding: Identify unique strengths, defining your professional ‘story’. Resilience: Recovering from setbacks; managing mistakes. Leadership: Moving into leadership roles; understanding reputational leadership.
Communication: Crafting compelling narrative and effective elevator pitch; public speaking tips; understanding your communication style. Conflict Navigation: Managing difficult conversations; negotiating opportunities. Visibility: Developing strategies for amplifying your visibility & influence in professional networks.
Presence: Style & personal brand; ensuring non-verbal communication. Motivation: Maintaining energy and motivation during challenging periods. Strategic Networking: Networking with confidence; leveraging connections.