Social media is not just an advancement in technology, but it’s a movement, in which we have transitioned our behaviors and interactions. A similar instance of this occurred in 1965 with email.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are two household personal brand names. No one can question that. The press has positioned them together, as they probably should be because they are in a relationship and they are both A-list actors/actresses.

The Contrarian Effect is the idea that doing the opposite of what you should do (or what you’ve been told to do) can reap big rewards. Specifically, this book addresses why it pays - and pays big - to take the typical sales advice and do the opposite.

By now you know that it is important to maintain a consistent message with respect to your personal brand, but some job seekers forget this notion when the possibility of a new (possibly higher paying) job presents itself. You would be surprised at how many people abandon their value proposition in job interviews out of desperation to obtain the job. This is silly for a number of reasons…

Passion is the energy or rocket fuel we need in order to give us a reason for being or the ability to get from 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds like a Ferrari. The one thing in common with most successful people is passion.

When everyone has similar skills, the only way to get a job is through another person. When you realize that the people you know are more important than what you’ve learned in school, you will be more successful.

When you grew up, your parents always warned you about going out with people they didn’t approve of. They didn’t want you to be influenced by the likes of children that either had emotion issues or misbehaved regularly, in hopes you wouldn’t turn out like them. The reason for this is because who you are around has a direct impact on your personal brand.

Stewart lays out his blueprint for how to become a more successful and satisfied leader in all dimensions of life, including work, home, community and self (mind, body and spirit). What you will read in this book has been proven many times in Stewart’s classes. He offers a step-by-step “four-way wins” approach to produce sustainable, meaningful change that benefits all life domains by being real, being whole and being innovative.

Companies, as well as individuals, understand the importance of eBranding, and the untapped potential of social networks. In fact, 40 percent of companies are set to increase spending on social networks next year (Forrester Research).

A lot of the time, I give you positive benefits such as expert positioning, while other posts I’ve spoken about how reputation management is required in the digital age. Maggie talks about how we must be aware of these distractions and how to live a life with more focus.