Tonight, I’m going to a party for local entrepreneurs.

I was getting ready for the party and thinking about the signals I am sending with every detail I put into my appearance. How do I want to be perceived? Should I go combover or faux-hawk, slacks or jeans, watch or Fitbit, leather or suit jacket? All of these decisions don’t necessarily paint the picture of Brandon, so much as they paint the picture of who Brandon wants you to believe he is.

While it may seem vain to contemplate on what signals I’m sending, people do the same thing ALL THE TIME without even being conscious of it. We do this not only in real life, but especially on Social Media.

Seth Godin will often write on sending signals.

He has a great quote from the post:

Empathy helps us understand what will be received, and intent dramatically improves our effectiveness.

Understanding that you are always sending signals AND having empathy will not only get you further in business (since you can understand the signals you need to send on an individual basis), it will also get you further as a human being.

This also has me wondering. What signals do I send to myself?