“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” Wrapped up reading Cynthia Johnson ’s Book, ‘Platform’. A page turner.

I would like to call it a manual or workbook that can help you adjust your personal branding sails and catapult your brand building journey. An honest selection of personal stories, practical lessons and tools that worked for her growth.

Thank you Cynthia for sharing your voice accompanied with rich information.

3 of my many favourite random excerpts from the book are as follows:

🔥 My goal in writing this book is to encourage the real experts, the careerists, to start laying the foundation for their platforms, if not for themselves, then for the world. There is so much noise coming from so many people and places that we are exhausting the public attention span for experts and important causes. We need to hear from the people who understand topics completely and thoroughly. You can change the world with your voice if you have a platform to stand on and people who will listen.

🔥 How do you make sure people know what you want them to know without feeling as if you are bragging? Show; don’t tell. (Cynthia goes on to share nuggets on how this can be done. It’s quite a lot.) The pen is mightier than the sword. You can accomplish a lot with your words, so choose them wisely.

🔥 If your message leaves anything open to interpretation, it will be interpreted in the most negative way possible. When dealing with mass communication, what things appear to be is more important than what they are. Overcommunication, clear communication, and requesting confirmation of communication are a must. Make sure there is no room for interpretation. Anything you say that can be read, can be interpreted incorrectly.

A mantra I created for myself is inspired by a podcast where Jim Rohn said books are what you step on to take you to a higher shelf. The higher your stack of books, the higher the shelf you can reach. Want to reach higher? Stack some more books under your feet! Here’s to stacking up! 📚