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Welcome to Jon Michail’s Personal Branding Masterclass. Jon is the founder and CEO of image group international, an award-winning image consulting and personal branding pioneer established in 1989. This podcast will bring you old-school wisdom, inspiring ideas, strategies and hacks for the new tech world. Here you will learn everything about personal branding: the system, the techniques and the right mindset to have a successful personal brand, image and reputation.

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Hello, everybody, and welcome back to another episode of our podcast. I'm delighted to have you join me today. Before we chat, though, I commonly ask you to connect with me on social media. My ex is John on the line, Michael, my LinkedIn is John Michael, you can find me as image Group International on Facebook. So let's embark on this journey and unravel the arts of crafting your personal story. So in the realm of personal branding, your narrative holds immense power, we know that whoever controls the narrative controls the story. So what that means is it's not just about what you do, but it's about your why in the story, and of course how you tell it. So that's the construct. After Of course you get into the initial Why do you want to share this story? And why do you do what you do? So today we'll explore steps to ensure your personal story sets you apart, and leaves a lasting impression. So first things first, though, why does your personal story matter? While your personal story is a unique narrative that encapsulates your experiences, values, and of course, aspirations. In a world saturated with information overload. Authentic storytelling is a powerful tool to captivate attention, build authentic connections, and of course, differentiate yourself from the crowd, and of course show up in your marketplace. And what I mean by that. Well, do you remember your favourite movie? What was it that made it so memorable? What stood out? So what were the emotional hooks that got you enrolled in the storyline. So what makes your personal story compelling, is the same thing. It's a blend of authenticity, relatability. And, of course, a touch of uniqueness. Your personal story should resonate with the audience, creating, of course, an emotional connection beyond the surface. And so I will explore the key elements that make your story authentic, and definitely stand out.

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So let's start off with this first quote by Daniel Pink that I've used before. So that is said The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind. Artists, inventors, storytellers, creatives, and of course, holistic, right brain thinkers. Why? Because specifically, we're living in challenging times. And if you are thinking vanilla, like the past, that's not gonna sweeten up the deal from the perspective of enrolling people to you, and of course, your story. So this is very important. So let's get into the nitty gritty of crafting your personal story, whether you're an inspiring leader, an entrepreneur, or someone looking to redefine their personal brand. And of course, positioning. Storytelling is a skill set that can set you apart. There are different storytelling frameworks available. And of course, one of my favourites is the hero's journey. But today, I will share one storytelling version with you. That includes the five elements, what we would call of a story. Of course, there is other breaks from those particular arcs in the storyline, but we'll talk about the five main ones. And the five main ones, of course, the theme, what is the plot, the characters involved in this case, it's YOU the setting, and of course, the conflict. And the conflict is very important, and there's always conflict in it. But in the love story, there is conflict. And the conflict is, of course, part of human nature. So understanding that gives you at least some sort of framework as a starting point, plotting your story, quoting Robert Lee, he said basically, that storytelling is the most powerful way of course, to put ideas into the well. And this is important, because you've got to understand your audience, what they stand for. Second, you tailor your personal story to resonate, of course with the people you want to connect with. And next, what experiences values aspirations Do you share with them? That's your choice. So your story should speak directly to their interests and needs. And what that means is for example, If you're targeting executives keep your story to their interest profile. Remember, today, marketing is not longer about just selling your stuff, the stuff that you make or services you sell, it's about the authentic stories you tell, the market is saturated, false narratives, fake stories, et cetera, online and beyond. And growing at a dramatic rate, it's only going to get worse. So your authentic story is going to be a catalyst for people to listen to you. Now, there is, of course, some professions out there that I've had a lot of experience working with, that at times this what I'm sharing with you doesn't land because if you've got enough money and power on the planet, yes, you can do all sorts of things and be totally inauthentic. That's not the audience I'm speaking to today, I'm speaking specifically to you listening from the perspective that you haven't got unlimited money and power. And what you've got is the sovereignty of yourself, to go out there and compel an audience to be attracted to you through your magnetism, and your storytelling will make that big difference. People love real people with real stories. That's the bottom line. 

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So remember, authentic tissue is the heart of a compelling, personal story. And we all have different stories to connect with different audiences because we've had different experiences over a period of time. So Being courageous is very important, showcasing your true self, including, of course, both successes and challenges. Authenticity, builds trust and helps your audience connect with the real person behind the personal brand. So let's ponder on that, for a moment. There's a great quote by Rudyard Kipling, the great the English, of course, writes a poet, novelist, and of course, adventurous. And he said, If history were taught in a full of stories, it would never be forgotten. Of course, the best concept you can remember, there is the greatest book ever written the Bible. And of course, it's the greatest story ever told. So what sets you apart from others, your unique journey, experiences and perspectives are the gems that make your personal story shine. So you can talk about any current trend news event that's happening in society and put your own personal story, sort of threaded into that. And you know, and make that unique for the for today's audience, specifically, if you're speaking, let's say to, you know, Gen Z. It's why doesn't really matter. Your story resonates with every particular audience, as long as you're really conscious about what interests them. And by the way, at times, I've spoken about all different stories, and at times, it didn't align with the audience. Why? Because it went over their heads. This is not to be a smart aleck note all that all. It was like a you everything. It wasn't that it was like the audience did not resonate with that story wasn't their reality. So the responsibility, then, of the speaker, in this case, myself at that time, is to recalibrate the story that fits in with their particular needs, wants and pain spots at that moment in time. So celebrate the milestones, share the lessons, learn my God, just share the lesson with you and demonstrate how your journey has shaped who you are today. And we all have a story, make no mistakes about that. And we've all had a journey, it's important so you can never be copied. This is the beautiful thing about authenticity, because it's you. It's your original story, no one can copy your story. So don't worry about worrying about how you're going to share ideas that people are going to steal. The reality is no one can steal you because it's the original you structure your personal story like a captivating narrative, introduce the characters of course yourself, you'll set the same build tension with challenges or turning points. And of course conclude that with a resolution or some sort of result. There is stories of course, that great stories that might be have not completed with that. But of course, when we're talking about your personal story we're talking about is with a business angle to it as well. Of course you want it to end in some way so people can replace action some of that even if it means going out there and getting excited and running their own storyline we're doing today we've had gusts so well crafted narrative keeps your audience engaged from start to finish.

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And, you know, part of that is of course, the framework. I mentioned the framework earlier, so don't underestimate also the power of visuals. Whether through images, videos, multimedia elements, visuals can enhance your personal stories, because visuals communicate before you open your mouth. And if you watch any story on television, Netflix, read any book or specifically if there's no visuals, they are creating visuals in the mind. Of course from a movie perspective, there's visuals that specifically that communicate part of the story, and that includes of course was the scenery, you know, the whole environment URL, of course, even the clothes and the grooming that they carry. So share glimpses of your, your journey showcase achievements, and let the visuals complement your narrative not overtake. And one good story that I can explain to you is a recent example I did in a in a recent seminar that I ran. And it only had one visual for a 20 minute presentation that with question time went to around 35 minutes, it had only one visual, but it was so powerful that it anchored the whole story around. So think about that, what kind of be for you now my particular visual in reference to this particular seminar that Arang was around a heart that virtually said love, and the whole story resonate around that. So whichever way the story went, and there were ups and downs, the anchor was back to bring it back to love. And of course it was it went really great and of course, was appreciated by the audience. And it also took them to the point where they went into action around that, as opposed to doing nothing about it without sounding you know, airy fairy too sugary. The point being is to keep it powerfully simple, because we all have a blockbuster inside us. That's yet to be told. Well that wraps up today's episode on crafting your personal story and standing out your personal story remember is a dynamic tool in your identity personal branding arsenal, so invest the time to refine and share it with the world. If you found the episode valuable today, please connect with me on social media if you require help in crafting your authentic story, please contact Patricia at imagegroup.com.au . I want to thank you for joining me today until next time, cheerio. 

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Jon Michail’s Personal Branding Masterclass Podcast is sponsored by Image Group International, a global team of practical, digitally savvy personal brand and image strategists based in Australia, committed to maximizing your impact, influence and authority in the business world. To learn more and apply for your personal coaching, seminars and group workshops, please visit imagegroup.com.au or call 1800 631 311.