I recently spoke with a client who is working hard on growing her following so that she can increase the chances of selling her memoir to a publishing house. I had suggested she contact another client of mine for ideas in her field–the person who had initially put her in touch with me.
This mutual friend offered a suggestion for radio publicity, but it meant my client needed to present herself as a psychic, not exactly the way she presented herself to the world–and not how she wanted people to see her. In fact, she’d pledged never to present herself this way, despite her “psychic” gifts.
Her husband urged her to reconsider and she e-mailed me for my opinion.
First, I congratulated her for thoughtfully considering the opportunity. On the one hand, any opportunity to get known is a good thing. On the other hand, if she’s branding herself, or as Christina Katz puts it, creating her public identity, she needs to think about how she wants people to view her. Does the label of psychic take away from her vision of her image or can it add to it? How will this label affect how her audience views her and who her audience is?
It’s not a test with a right and wrong answer. She needed to look within.
I came up with a list of questions for her to journal about.
- What is my long term vision for my work?
- What is the easiest and optimal path for me to reach that goal?
- What would be an optimal way to create immediate income with ease, and that is resonant with who I am on the deepest level?
- Is it important that I develop a following or platform prior to submitting my book proposal?
- If so, what would be an optimal way to develop my platform and following with ease and speed?
- Would it be optimal (or in the highest good) for me to appear on xxxx?
- Would it be optimal (or in the highest good) for me to do psychic work in the media right now to develop my platform? If yes, in what way? What would it look like?
As she answered the questions, it became clear to her that this wasn’t the right opportunity for her. Perhaps, though, taking the time to consider it helped her be open to a more fitting option. Within a day, a new opportunity emerged that fit her identity and vision spot on.
