that's audacious news

July 31, 2020

Lauren Clemett


On Valentine's Day we declare our love for the special people in our life, even though we spend most of our time apart from them, working.

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Author Annie Dillard once said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”  

The average person will spend 90,000 hours at work in their lifetime.

So do you love what you do?

Is what you do, worth the time you spend away from those you love?

The Japanese have a phrase for doing what you love - Ikigai. It is the concept of having a reason for being.

But in reality, not everyone was born to be a travel blogger, celebrity chef, sports hero or fitness guru, no matter how much you love travel, cooking, working-out or playing sports.

You don't have to have a job doing what you love, but you should at least, love what you do.

it's more about having a purpose.

According to Victor Frankel, Holocaust survivor and author of ‘Mans Search For Meaning’, having purpose is vital to maintain a fulfilled life, and those who have lost their purpose also lose their desire to live.


What is the purpose behind what you do for a living?

Is it just to pay the rent, buy you things and afford vacations?

Or is your work, the thing you spend 1/3rd of your life on, fulfilling you and giving you meaningful experiences?

Do you wake up each day excited to get into your work, or do you hate Mondays and live for the weekend when you can really do what you love?

Do you wake up each day excited to get into your work, or do you live for the weekend when you can really do what you love? 

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Valentine's Day is an ideal day to reflect on what you do and if it gives you purpose and fulfilment.

This isn’t about giving away all your possessions and living like a monk on a mountain top. It’s not about trying to find the ideal opportunity to do what you love, or some pipe-dream of earning a passive income as you travel the World, blogging about your journey.

It’s about loving what you do. The good, the bad AND the ugly.

If you are self employed, are you doing something you love so much that you are prepared to go through all the challenges and withstand the rollercoaster ride it takes to build and sustain a business?

Do you have the same passion and purpose of St Valentine?

St Valentine was a Roman priest who lived in a time where young people were prohibited to marry. The thinking was, that unmarried soldiers would fight better because if they were married, they would be afraid to fight because of what might happen to their wives or families if they died in battle.

Christianity was starting to influence society, and marriage was becoming a sacred act, but the Emperor didn’t like it. So when St Valentine secretly married young people, and was caught, he was tortured and beaten before being executed for his acts of compassion.

His last act was to write a note to the daughter of a fellow Christian, signing off with; “From your Valentine” and he became the patron saint of lovers.

So as you write your card to those you love with the same sign-off he used in 269AD, also take some time to consider if you love what you are doing for a living?

St Valentine's last act was to write a note, signing of with “From your Valentine” becoming the patron saint of lovers.

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Here are 5 personal branding action steps to help you review what you are doing with your time, so you love what you do:

1) Consider your dreams and goals
As a child, what did you want to be?
What were the things you loved to do?
What gave you joy and pleasure?
What are the natural skills and talents you were born with?
Often we forget that there is value in our innate abilities and that when we are working with these soft skills, we are really at our best.

Often we forget that there is value in our innate abilities and that when we are working with these soft skills, we are really at our best.

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2) Recall three times in your life that you faced real challenges.
How did these change you or make you who you are today?
Consider what you did to overcome them.
What did you learn from these life experiences?
How could you help someone else with these learnings?
Can you introduce a process or system from your experiences that enables you to build a business you are passionate about.

Can you introduce a process or system from your experiences that enables you to build a business you are passionate about.

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3) Think about who you really want to spend your time with. 
Who makes you feel alive, who has a positive influence on your wellbeing?
Who lifts your spirit?
Who can you most help transform and who will you most enjoy working with?
Life is to short to work with horrible people!
As Oprah Winfrey said - "Surround yourself with people who are going to lift you higher".

"Surround yourself with people who are going to lift you higher" - Oprah Winfrey.

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4) What do you feel so strongly about that you are prepared to stand and be judged for it?
Personal branding is what we stand up for.
What we stand for, makes us stand out.
What is happening in your industry that you want to change?
What cause will you support?
What change do you want to lead?
What action can you take that feeds your soul and endorses your life's purpose?

Our personal brand is what we stand up for. What we stand for, makes us stand out.

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5) What do you want to be remembered for?
What is the legacy you want to leave?
What impression do you want to make on the World?
It doesn’t need to be grandiose, it just needs to fire you up and keep you focused so that you can overcome the challenges that are sure to come your way.
Get clear on your legacy, it will help you avoid being distracted into trying to be everything to everyone.

Get clear on your legacy, it will help you avoid being distracted into trying to be everything to everyone.

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Loving what you do is a vital element to creating a stand out personal brand.

Because people want to know why you are so passionate about helping them. They want to be energised by your passion and motivated by the example you set.

St Valentine didn’t die in vain. We still celebrate a day in his honour many thousands of years after his life.

Time is the most valuable currency available to you. We have a set amount in our lifetime, it seems to go so quickly and we always want more.

Don’t get to the end of your life wishing you had the courage to create a life you love and do what you love for a living.

Do it now and like Valentine, inspire others to do the same.

Loving what you do is a vital element to creating a stand out personal brand.

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Lauren Clemett


Lauren heads up The Audacious Agency, a premier profile building and award writing specialist company.
With over three decades of experience in brand management and a reputation as a sought-after keynote speaker, Lauren empowers entrepreneurs and business owners to build powerful personal brands.

As the brand navigator Lauren and her team help leaders to boldly stand out from the competition and be sought-after credible brand champions.

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