Back when I was a self-proclaimed guru at a ripe age of 33, I believed that I had tapped into a truth no one else knew. It developed into an obsession with contradicting people and pricking their beliefs about the world.

Friends, family, co-workers — nobody was safe.

I was desperate to prove my worth, and playing the devil’s advocate and challenging beliefs was my go-to move.

Until one day it dawned on me.

I wanted to be seen, of course, but I also really needed people to like me. To validate my need to be seen as a smart cookie and attention-worthy.

But the truth of the matter was, I wasn’t helping anyone live a better life, nor feel seen, heard or loved.

Heck, I was all words and no deeds. Not taking my own medicine.

Proselytising unsolicited advice was getting people’s attention, but at what cost?

I was getting noticed at the expense of connection, trust, and impact.

Most of my friends didn’t really “get” what I was on about, and other people were increasingly irritated by my ravings and my presence.

While I learned that unsolicited advice is truly unnecessary, if not straight out disruptive (without a constructive epilogue), I noticed that I was still not in integrity with myself, walking the talk and being, you know, of actual fckn value/service to others.

Disruption for its own sake gets attention for all the wrong reasons at the expense of connection, trust, and impact.

Being distinctive, on the other hand, allows you to stand the f*ck out without

alienating others or sacrificing relationships.

I’m still a rebel with a cause and contrarian to date, but I’ve learned to channel this natural tendency with purpose.

So what does that have to do with building a distinctive brand?

Glad you asked.

This is what this guide will help you do: to discover how to stand the f*ck out on purpose without alienating your ideal clients, customers, and co-conspirators.

After studying the most outf*ckingstanding brand and learning from my mentors, I’ve come to understand that they all have in common these four core pillars: