How to #BeYourSelfOnPurpose in 2026

It’s January. Do you have resolutions for 2026? I have a suggestion for you. Make 2026 the year you learn to “be yourself on purpose.”

Sounds good, Andrea, but what does that mean?

“Being yourself on purpose” means BEING YOURSELF, your true, whole, best self, and ON PURPOSE means doing so unapologetically, in a disciplined and strategic way.

Recently, I led a live training session on this topic that was so powerful, we decided to make it into a Talk About Talk podcast episode.

1️⃣ Think about your brand in the past, present, and future

Most people define a personal brand as a reputation. As Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos said:

​​“Your brand is what others say about you when you’re not in the room.”

That’s helpful, but it can also feel passive. It’s past tense. These people are judging you based on your past behaviors.

Here’s how marketing guru Seth Godin defined a personal brand when I interviewed him for Talk About Talk podcast ep.171:

Your brand is what people think you will do next.

This is an important question because it reveals the gap between: (a) what people expect from you, and (b) what you want to do.

​That gap is where brand-building begins. And that is how you need to start talking about yourself today.

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2️⃣ Three moves you can make right now to strengthen your brand

If you want traction quickly, here’s where I suggest you start:

1. Double down on what’s unique

When I work with my clients to develop their brand, we create a list of up to fifteen personal brand themes. The criteria for choosing the themes is that they must be P.U.R.: Positive. Unique. Relevant.

Most people over-index on “relevant” and “impressive.” But here’s the thing:

Unique is better than better.

Focusing on your unique strengths will make you more memorable.

Ask yourself: What can I do that others can’t? What comes easy for me? What do I find joy in that others don’t? What stands out about me compared to my colleagues? My family and friends?

Then make that the headline, not the footnote.

2. Control the narrative (yes, use the “L word”)

Don’t wait for someone else to connect the dots. Don’t let others create your narrative for you.

Once you’ve identified your unique strengths (see above), talk about those strengths!

For example, if you want to be seen as an effective leader, use the word LEAD! (I call this “the L word.” It’s shocking to me how many professionals seem to avoid this word.) “I lead the XYZ company.” “Last year I was honored to lead the ABC team…” “In the meeting I led yesterday,…”

Use the word “lead,” “leader,” “led,” “leadership”… when you’re introducing yourself and talking about your work.

This goes back to being yourself ON PURPOSE, talking about yourself in a strategic and disciplined way.

3. Build relationships like a pro (not like a networker)

If the idea of “networking” makes you cringe, swap the label.

Instead, think: building relationships.

Relationships grow when you provide value, follow up, and stay visible. You can add value to people you meet and people in your network by: Connecting people – in real time or via email or LinkedIn Sharing valuable information – based on your personal knowledge/expertise, or perhaps share an article you read Listening!

Many of my clients tell me they And yes, if you meet someone and never circle back, it’s as if you never met.

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3️⃣ For women, branding includes an extra layer of friction

None of us build our brand in a vacuum. We build them inside a culture that’s susceptible to stereotypes and double standards.

In the live training I led, I named three patterns that show up again and again for women:

• The tightrope: Women are expected to be maternal, warm, and “easy to work with,” while also projecting authority and expertise. Where is the balance here? Is it even possible?
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• The confidence tax: Imposter syndrome doesn’t just feel bad, it can also reduce visibility and impact your brand. Think about what happens when you don’t speak up.
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• The myth that “my work speaks for itself.” Doing excellent work is not the same as being recognized for it. So many talented, smart women I coach suffer from keeping their heads down, doing the work, and not claiming it. This strategy is fine early in your career when you have someone looking over your shoulder. But once you hit middle management and beyond, part of your job is to talk about your accomplishments.

​If any of this feels familiar, here’s the reframe: This isn’t about becoming louder, harsher, or more “like a man.”
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It’s about becoming more intentional about what you signal about yourself – explicitly and implicitly.

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Bonus: Be intentional with your vocabulary

One powerful way to reclaim your voice is to name what’s happening, clearly and specifically.

Again, whether you’re a woman or you work with women, this is important.

Here are some terms that came up in my interview with gender bias expert Amy Diehl:

• Housekeeping Duties/Non-Promotable Tasks: Low-value, organizational tasks disproportionately assigned to women. They need to be done – either by someone who’s paid for it, or as a shared task.
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• Role Incredulity: Disbelief that a woman holds a senior position
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• Credibility Deficit: A woman’s words are discounted until validated by a man
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• Mansplaining: A man explains something a woman already knows
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• He-peating: A man repeats a woman’s idea without attribution
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• Bro-propriating: The intentional, egregious version of he-peating
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When you have language, you have options. You can address it, interrupt it, or strategically navigate it, on purpose.

Talk soon,

Dr. Andrea Wojnicki
executive communication coach