The 4 Elements of Your Personal Introduction—Or, How To Make Sense Of Your Life When You Have 15 Bajillion Different Passions.

Image credit: ‘just be you’ print by Amanda Helmer

a super special guest post by Alexandra Franzen

“So, what do you do?”

For multi-passionate, multi-talented, multi-faceted creatives, it’s The Most Dreaded Question of All.

“What do I do? Where do I start?!”

The truth is, synthesizing the fullness of your Being into a snappy 10-second introduction isn’t easy. But it doesn’t need to be agonizing, either. And crafting your personal introduction can be a powerful exercise in self-awareness & self-expression.

I’m going to break down the 4 elements of your personal introduction, worksheet-style — but first, a quick story.

I had a client who was a yoga teacher, an Interfaith Minister, a writer, a former Art Therapist (with a Masters degree & everything), and (wait for it) she also spoke to angels on the regular, and performed healing home & business blessing ceremonies.

Not exactly your standard-issue job title. And not surprisingly, she was struggling to wrap it all together in a neat little package.

So I asked her, “What’s the deep-level desire, that drives ALL of your work? What’s the essence? What are you trying to accomplish, with evvverything that you do?”

She answered, faster than the fluttering of an angel’s wings, “I just want to add to the Love in the world.”

Bingo.

The moral of the story is: sometimes, it’s not your official job title, but what you’re trying to add to the world that says it all.

With that thought tucked into our huts (hearts + guts), let’s break down your personal introduction into 4 easy pieces.

We’ll use my introduction as an example:

I’m a writer. I work with quirky, eccentric entrepreneurs & artists, and I channel their stories into business & marketing language. But really, I’m on a quest to inspire wild & fearless self-expression, by helping people remember who they are.

So tell me, what are you freakishly good at?

+ YOUR TITLE

I’m a writer.

My two cents? If you’re chatting with someone in the ‘real world’ (the world with sunshine & bumblebees, not the world of digital screens), keep your job title SIMPLE.

I might call myself a Promotional Wordsmith & Personal Scribe on my website, but offline? I’m a writer.

If you’ve got a hybrid career, you can give yourself a two- or three-pronged title. Like: I’m a jeweler, a style blogger, and a glassblowing instructor.

But restrain yourself to two or three titles, max. You don’t want to overwhelm your fair listener with a tsunami of ideas. And you’ll have a chance to elaborate, soon enough.

+ WHO YOU SERVE & WHAT YOU DO FOR THEM

I work with quirky, eccentric entrepreneurs & artists, and I channel their stories into business & marketing language.

After you’ve announced your title, touch upon who (specifically) you serve, and what (precisely) you do for them. This might take a little finessing. Bonus points for keeping it under two sentences.

+ THE BIG WHY (OR: WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT)

But really, I’m on a quest to inspire wild & fearless self-expression, by helping people remember who they are.

This is the Big One. The piece of your personal introduction that illuminates your mission, your driving motivation, what you’re trying to add to the world. You can segue into this piece with a lil’ transitional phrase, like I did.

But really . . .

For me, it’s all about . . .

If I had to simmer it down to the essence . . .

The heart of my work is . . .

What I’m trying to add to the world is . . .

+ THE PROMPT

So tell me, what are you freakishly good at?

It’s always super-fly to wrap up your personal introduction with a provocative question. Something that flips the energy & attention back to the person you’re talking to.

By asking a question, you’re sparking a conversation — instead of making this moment a one-sided performance. Plus, you might learn a fascinating secret about the person you’re talking to. Secrets are the bessst.

AND THAT’S IT!

Not too painful, right?

I’d love to see ALL of y’all take a stab at crafting your new & improved personal introduction, using the 4 elements we’ve just rolled through. Throw ‘em in the comments, and let’s turn this into a digital slumber party of self-revelation.

Can’t wait to meet you. The real you.

As a Promotional Wordsmith & Personal Scribe, ALEXANDRA FRANZEN helps bestselling authors, elite coaches, wellness warriors & spiritual leaders find their voices, claim their online territory, and channel their skills into products, services — and entirely new businesses. She also writes poetry of questionable quality, muddles around with steampunk Tarot cards, makes bundles of scripts for creative entrepreneurs, and sells them on her website. Hint, hint.