Stop to Take an Assessment of Your Professional Persona and Improve As Needed!  

If you reached out and took a “selfie,” what would you capture? A consummate professional? A wise mentor? A dedicated employee? A motivational inspiration?  Or someone who needs a few professional touch-ups?

Here’s the thing. We are not always behaving or “looking” our best.  But why are we always focusing on what is wrong? Rather, we should take a few cues from our smart phone app to capture and portray the best of who we are.

Take a Snapshot
When you look at yourself in that image, you should be pretty darn proud. As you reflect on all that you’ve achieved in your career, you’ll probably realize that you’re not giving yourself enough credit. Please don’t focus on the minutiae: the mistake made yesterday or the one item that hasn’t been checked on your to-do list. Rumination isn’t healthy and if carried too far, can lead to anxiety-provoking health issues. Looking back or wishing for more isn’t fair to you. Instead, focus on the portrait of who you are right now, and all that you’ve achieved.

Selfie Solution: So learn how to quiet your inner critic and focus on the “you” that’s smiling back at you now. Once you get past your own critical self, you’ll capture someone to be proud of.

Focus your Lens
Don’t let your view be clouded by little, insignificant things. Instead focus on the real you. The one who looks great at every angle, the “you” who’s blazing an amazing career trail and positively impacting others along your way. Be careful not to allow external factors—or comments—cloud your confidence, goals and motivation. And be careful that you, as a caring individual, don’t absorb other’s concerns in a way that sets you off course. Sure, you will continue to make contributions and help those in need, but if demands on your time and emotions wear you down, you might find yourself drained. Don’t let the externals negatively impact the internals. Instead, focus on what matters, where you want to take your career and how you can continue to move forward in positive ways.

Selfie Solution: Focus your lens on the confident, successful beauty within. Truth be told, if someone were to follow you around with a camera, you’d probably be pleased with the pretty picture.

Shine in the Right Light
Even if you don’t upload your photo to social media, odds are you’ve got a “career selfie” floating out there somewhere online. What does it say about you? What impression are you leaving? To be honest, while your picture makes an impact, it’s what you write about yourself lasts forever.

It may be time to review your LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter accounts to ensure that your personal brand is in sync with what you want to portray. Recently, I worked with a vice president who was looking to transition her career. While her image was polished, her words were weak. Grammar mistakes aside, her social media presence did little to indicate that she had achieved great milestones in her career. Instead, her profile and commentary were more focused on her affinity for Game of Thrones and disdain for certain political parties.

While I applauded her fun side and her “voice,” I cautioned her not to alienate potential career decision makers. Her light was being hid under a bushel of fodder that couldn’t help (and may only hurt) her career trajectory.  There’s a healthy balance between arrogance and meekness, opinions and offensiveness; and while we certainly need to let our personal brand flag fly, we need to make sure that all of these things together, show us in our best light.

Say “Cheese” and Smile
“Fake it until you make it” may seem like a hollow piece of advice, but science proves that when you portray an image of positivity, your disposition will soon follow. I recall a study where individuals who had severe depression but also indulged in Botox didn’t relapse into their former severe state of depression when their muscles wouldn’t permit them to frown. Seriously!

It’s amazing how much our body language can positively (or negatively) affect our attitude. So if you’re feeling low but can muster up a smile, perhaps your attitude will change. It certainly will positively impact others. An article this year in Psychology Today cites the positive correlation between a smile and your health. First, a smile “activates the release of neuropeptides that work toward fighting off stress.” Secondly, it is scientifically proven to lower blood pressure, heal pain, and as research proves time and again, people are more attractive to those who smile. Health benefits aside, your career can really soar when you smile. So pause, say “cheese” and take a “career selfie.” I guarantee that it’s a work of art!