Books – Build Your Own Life Brand!

There are times in my life when I turn to music for healing and there are other times I turn to books. When things got rough for me six and a half years ago I turned to self- help books.


OK – don’t click out of here just yet! I know that some of you don’t believe in self- help books and, in some cases, I would agree with you. But for me most of the ones I’ve read have helped in some way. It might have been just one hint out of the whole book, it might have been the mention of another book or website or it might have been presenting things in a different way and making me think outside the square, but all of them have been useful.

One of the first books I bought and read was Stedman Graham’s “Build Your Own Life Brand!” I have no idea what attracted me to this book, perhaps it was the connection with Oprah. Graham was and probably could still be (I really don’t know) Oprah’s partner. I admire Oprah, so that could have been the appeal. Whatever it was I bought the book.

As the title indicates Graham’s book deals with branding and expands the concept to the individual. He asks us to look at ourselves as products and shows us how we can a “Life Brand” for ourselves “that will enable you to stand out not only in your work but also in your relationships and the greater “communities” that you belong to.”

Throughout the book Graham gives us real life examples, not only of individuals but also of individuals sorted by professions. There are lessons to be learnt and exercises to complete. I didn’t do them.

Once you have created a “Life Brand” Graham shows you how to market it to give yourself the best opportunities in life. He takes some marketing strategies from corporations and tailors them for the individual.

This isn’t a book that I would read over and over again as I found it slanted more toward the commercial world than I feel comfortable with. However I really liked the examples Graham gave of real life people. And I did take away some good points from the book.

At a time when I was struggling to deal with the chaos in my mind and in my heart, this book made me focus on who I was, where I was going and what I wanted in life. Over the years the things I want and the places I want to go have changed, but I couldn’t have started without working out who I was.