In business, we often find ourselves editing ourselves. Our goal is to come across as polished and as perfect as possible. However, we measure what we think our “polished and perfect” should look like using other people’s standards.

You will rework a presentation because you think it will meet your team’s expectations better. You will revise a blog post because you think your audience might be turned off by your choice of words. You will photoshop an image because you think you need to match all the other photoshopped images out there.

Don’t edit the soul out of your work

However, by editing yourself according to other people’s standards you risk editing the soul and #truevoice out of your work.

Assume you are the director of your own movie. How would that movie look and feel? How would people talk? What would they wear? And what music would you choose to emotionally connect with your audience?

I’m not saying, don’t edit yourself when communicating with the world. But make sure you use the power of editing to enhance your specific message by setting your own benchmark and using that as a measure. You might actually find yourself not just exceeding other people’s expectations but also connecting with your audience on a deeper, more meaningful level.

Once people see the real you, you will attract the right people, form closer bonds and connections, which in return will result in a greater impact.

[bctt tweet=”Your voice is your biggest brand asset. Don’t silence yourself. #truevoice #branding” username=”ninagrenningloh”]