Perspective is deeply personal. Mine is different than yours and both of ours are different from the person's sitting at the next table. All of our experiences, all of what we've read, all of what we listen to and watch, all of our travels and conversations filter into unique perspectives that no one else shares.
And while no one else can share our exact perspectives on the world, others can relate to them in some way, draw inspiration from them, see a reflection of themselves in them. The people that relate to our perspectives are the people we want as clients. The ones who "get" us and "get" the work that we do.
People can't hire you for your perspective if you aren't first showing them what your perspective is. If you're constantly quoting other blogs, magazines, Instagram "influencers", industry peers or leaders, and never offering your original take, then you are only lumping yourself in with everyone else. This is proactive self-sabotage.
To get the clients you really want, the ones who really "get" you, you first have to be willing to embrace the fact that some people won't relate to your perspective at all, that some people will never "get" you.
Next, you have to share more of your perspective than you parrot someone else's.
Originally published February 2012
