Introduce Yourself By What You Are Contributing to the World

Let’s face it: we live in a society where we constantly hear about cultural diversity, the ethnic vote, South Asian, Asian, Aboriginal and the list goes on. Many times, we choose to ignore these labels; other times, we feel angry about them. And then there are the times when we learn to live with it. Culture, gender, family, society and belief systems influence us as individuals. All these influences help shape our identity. 

When we describe ourselves, we may use words that describe our gender, ethnic origins, occupation and other labels. But, what if we described ourselves as an individual who is passionate about contributing to the world? What if we described ourselves by how we are helping the world? Insert your passion here — bringing more art to the world, coaching people to a better life, bringing people together in events, etc.

How would you describe yourself if you were introducing yourself by describing your passion or how you are contributing to the world? How would that make you feel, being known for your contributions, not just by what you do? 

For example, if you are a owner of a graphic design company, your introduction might be, “Hi, my name is Manpreet. I support businesses in being visually appealing so they can attract more customers.” Or “Hi, my name is ___, and I help people gain justice when it comes to car accidents. I’m a lawyer.” 

I’m asking you to consider the possibility of letting go of labels and explore how you would introduce yourself without these labels. What would you say? How would it feel? I am pretty confident that you would be more authentic in your relationships. You would forge deeper connections, which always helps in business. People want to do business with people who they trust and know well. Allow people to get to know the REAL you, instead of your labels. 

So why not try introducing yourself without labels for 30 days. Be aware of how this affects your relationships, old and new. Be aware of what you’re feeling when you introduce yourself this way — and how the other person reacts. 

And when your 30 days are up, tell me how your label-less intros went — I want to hear all about it.