I’m a 6’ tall, slim white man. I have an automobile, house, job and good income. No felonies. Imagine if myself and nine other identical men all created profiles on a dating app and that’s all we put. How many inquiries would we get? Probably zero. This is our world and marketplace today. No matter who you are or what you do, everyone is looking to know your story before they spend a minute or a dollar on you. They are looking for context on connecting points to determine if they find resonance with you or not. This is Part 3 of my series on Miriam Schulman. Her new book is called Artpreneur: The Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living from Your Creativity. If you are involved, or want to be, in the fine arts, and make a living at it, she is your guru. On a bigger scale she brings the message of how creativity and art in your work is a necessity in today’s overcrowded marketplace. I continue this discussion today with my frequent co-host Jared Angaza. Jared is a brand architect who has recently devoted himself to helping the space community tell their story. His expertise is in doing that, helping us all tell our story so we have the chance to connect with others, whether personally or professionally. He’s also my blood brother and who is helping me tell my story as a podcast host and author so you know if I’m someone you care to listen to or not! In this show we really hone in on not only the opportunity, but the absolute necessity to tell your story or get left behind. Looking at our work, what you do is no longer enough. You can’t be the best, nobody will believe that. But you can be unique. You are unique, even if you don’t realize it. Just as you must put on clothes to go to work, if you want opportunity in the marketplace, or trying to get a date, you’ve got to communicate who you are. Your identity. This is the only way people can know if they want to connect with you or not. If you try to play it safe and remain storyless, you’ll get just that. Less. And in today’s culture, letting your identity be known shows confidence, while remaining hidden makes you suspect. Be authentic, this isn’t about performing and being a show pony. It’s again, just like a personal profile in a dating app, merely sharing who you are and what you’re about as a service to people who might be interested. The Self-Help(ful) podcast is brought to you by Ziglar, your premier source for equipping coaches to help leaders and top performers excel professionally and personally. Visit Ziglar.com and let them inspire your true coaching performance. Go to Zocdoc.com/KEVIN and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices