Social anxiety and depression had other plans, leaving me in an ugly cycle of self-isolation and rumination. Terrified of rejection, I'd meet someone interesting during one of my English lectures and invite them out for frozen yogurt in my head.
Running a photography business can be incredible fun, offering unique experiences and opportunities to meet diverse people. However, it requires significant dedication and effort, often demanding extra hours beyond a typical workweek.
When the person you're pretending to be gets too heavy to carry, you realize that the mask you've worn for so long has become your actual face.
One of the earliest turning points in personal branding, one that made career-minded professionals understand that they're responsible for their careers and the visibility that shapes them, was the launch of LinkedIn in 2003. Since then, career visibility has followed a simple rule: polish your resume, keep your LinkedIn profile current and compelling, and show up to meetings awake. But that rule no longer holds, thanks to AI.
Five years ago, finding a coach followed a predictable path. You searched a directory, shortlisted three names, booked discovery calls, and picked your favourite. The coach with the best sales pitch won. Today that process feels almost quaint. The coaching industry has fractured into a thousand pieces. People are using ChatGPT as their first coach. They're joining group programmes with influencers they've never met.
