Personal Branding: Be Aware of Your Pigeonhole - It’s Hard to Switch

Tabitha (From Single to Married) Says:

January 14th, 2009, 8:49 am

What a great reminder to be more open-minded. I’m the first to admit that I often pigeonhole people and stick them into a certain category or give them a label. Who’s to say that they don’t want to change at some point? And what do people think of me when they first meet me? Very interesting to think about…

Very Evolved Says:

January 14th, 2009, 8:59 am

From a neuroscience outlook pigeonholes are a great shortcut for your brains’ cognitive and memory systems to rapidly identify things it’s seen before.

Very useful if you’re a Stone Age man and you’ve just spotted a saber toothed tiger - better react fast!

Changing what pigeonhole others have placed you in though is very difficult. If they are following you for your non-fiction writing they may not be interested in anyone’s fiction, even if they like you and accept your change.

Perhaps it’s better not to look at it as changing your pigeonhole, but to change your audience. What do you think Leo?

Patrick
veryevolved.com

Silver Says:

January 14th, 2009, 9:10 am

I used to fear being pigeonholed a lot, particularly since when growing up from child to teen to adult, my personality morphed a lot & I was always getting comments like, “Why have you changed so much?” not in a pleasant way.

It’s like people need to pigeonhole you for their own convenience, like Patrick wrote.

For me now, I’ve given myself the freedom to be whatever I want whenever I want. The fear of being pigeonholed only stems from a fear of losing out as a result of not pleasing others & I have learned that you can never please everybody.

And anyway, for every person you lose due to their judgments of you, you will probably gain two more new friends anyway. People come, people go, big deal.

Personally, I like people who try to break out of pigeonholes & labels that have been slapped onto them. Even if they weren’t too successful, I respect them for even daring to risk.

Silver
awakenedperspectives.com

Shamelle -TheEnhanceLife Says:

January 14th, 2009, 9:10 am

Developing a personal brand is gradual (I think). So after being successful in one area, and that person wants to switch to another…. I guess the person will have to work on establishing a “another” brand (or make it part of the existing one?)

Ideally, the pigeonhole mindset should not stop one from “trying out” things..

Do the pigeonholes of you in the minds of others matter to you? Only if the “other” person matters to me :-)

creative metaphor :-)

Daniel Richard Says:

January 14th, 2009, 9:13 am

Heya Leo!

Gotta read this post first thing after getting used to my new operating system. :)

You are right on the part where Michael Jordan tried switching career from being a professional basketball star and went right into baseball. I remembered that period and did recall myself shaking my head in despair. Haha.

I’m gonna be in a new career myself probably by the end of this month. I sure hope that I could get some positive perception from my new colleagues and clients. :)

Yak! Says:

January 14th, 2009, 9:18 am

Companies have to struggle with this a lot when they launch a new product. Even Google is starting to feel the heat now that it is launching products outside of the “organize the world information” core.

This is a nightmare for marketing campaigns…but there is always a work around ;)

L Says:

January 14th, 2009, 9:19 am

Great post!

Reminds me of the famous marketing book, Positioning. They don’t really cover personal branding, but the concept is still similar.

http://books.google.com/books?id=3hjG01OzMGYC&dq=positioning&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result

Kelly Says:

January 14th, 2009, 9:21 am

I, somewhat, changed my online blog personality when my last blog site crashed hard and was lost forever. I moved sites, changed what I wrote about and added some new information about myself - my online friends were surprised but supportive at my attempts to stretch my wings in a few different directions.

We must accept the chances life gives us to reinvent ourselves - they come along rarely but are rarely regretted.

Kris Says:

January 14th, 2009, 9:37 am

I think communication is key.

In a world where people are changing professions (or at least shifting within related professions) more and more, this conversation is important.

While it is possible to manage multiple identities - more often than not - this seems to lead to dis-integration of time, energy and self.

I think as long as we are communicating what is happening - and perhaps the whys behind it all - people can track with us and support us - or not - if they choose to. It’s the same thing that we would do for those we care about.

Change…happens.

Chris Says:

January 14th, 2009, 9:44 am

I know people always say in comments “this is a really timely post for me because…” - but this is a useful post personally because I’ve been considering my online brand versus my personal brand recently (I don’t use my full name as some of the topics I blog about could have an impact on my employment).

No matter what path you choose, I think that it is important to be consistent in your brand values, and keep your message simple enough to be easily understood.

Eric Hamm Says:

January 14th, 2009, 9:48 am

Being in a Niche as a blogger certainly has a way of nailing you down a bit. I try to conduct myself in a respectful way and am generally a very positive person, so I’m not too worried about looking like a bad person or anything. But it can be sometimes hard to completely be yourself when you feel the pressure of staying within your Niche.

I believe more bloggers are going to step outside their on a regular basis as time goes on. The word Niche will be a much less concrete term and we will feel free to expand a little more than we do right now.

But, for example, if you’re known as the author of *name of blog here*, you will certainly have a little harder time re-inventing yourself down the road.

Interesting topic, Leo. One that I’ve been pondering lately. Eric.

Leo Says:

January 14th, 2009, 9:50 am

Thanks for all the thoughts, guys. My favorite posts are ones where the commenters contribute more than I did. :)

Ryan McLean Says:

January 14th, 2009, 9:59 am

This is a great post
Personal branding is so important to me as I build my blog and online buisness.
This is definately food for thought.
I want to be known as someone who delivers quality for cheap (or free)

Allena Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:03 am

It’s not a question of what *I* think, but what do YOU think of ME? (lol, enough about me, let’s talk about me!)

I may argue this a little, give me a little leeway as I’m thinking it through while typing:

Let’s say I’m branded in one area- let’s say freelance writing, and am well known blah blah blah all that among editors, other writers, publications, blogs. Whatever.

Then, I want to get into poetry. Those poetry people don’t know me. They don’t know my brand. They don’t run in the same circles as the magazine editors, etc.

So, I’m not making a switch per se, but, really am starting over as new.

? Yes?

Jim @ Change Jar Svaings Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:03 am

Branding is very costly, 1) to implement and 2) if you do not do it right. Many large companies have fell flat on their faces trying to get it right after spending thousands of dollars. Think “New Coke”.

Personal branding is more difficult one misstep online and your career brand could disintegrate. One political comment could wipe it out too.

Personal branding is great if you can live with it. But getting everyone to buy into it takes time, effort and $$$.

Leo Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:06 am

@Allena: Exactly right. But … if you became globally famous, and everyone knew you as a freelance expert/writer … it would be hard to change their minds.

But yes, if you are creating a brand with a whole new audience/group of people, you can re-invent your brand.

Bud Hennekes Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:10 am

This post especially resonated with me. Whenever I was a child (granted I’m still only 17) I could never find ANYTHING.. I would always run in asking my mother for help. As I’ve grown older I’ve been able to find things more easily. ( I realize this is a rather weak example) However my mom still has this image of me being unable to find things, so she will not bother asking me to look for things, instead asking my brother.

Leo you bring up a great point. Once you have established yourself in a person’s mind it is VERY DIFFICULT to change there impressions of you.

Over the years I have been known to be lazy, yes I still am lazy to some extent but not as lazy as people make me out to be. The reason behind this is because I have been KNOWN to be lazy throughout my life, so regardless if I become “unlazy” it won’t matter in the majority of people’s eyes. This isn’t too say people won’t notice change eventually, they will, it just takes some time and effort.

Loved the article.

P.S Leo have you read healthy at 100 by John Robbins yet? :)

Paula McConnell Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:21 am

Hello Leo,

Another delightful and insightful post. An aphorism found on 43 folders came to mind,

“Marketing is the tax you pay for being unremarkable.”

I’m working on being remarkable - and focused - and the branding will work out without my intervention. My name, and core self, is the root of a strong and lovely tree. The various projects (or change, if you prefer) I am interested in will grow from that root and can be encouraged or pruned as necessary. Consider using pseudonyms, the writer’s old standby for protecting brand and sales from an audience or booksellers who are mentally rigid.

I do enjoy your blog and the comments. Thank you for your work.

Paula

15 Minutes to Riches! Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:24 am

Loved the Michael Jordan reference… it’s really a good example.

If you stay focused and commit to providing good, targeted content, branding is one of those things that just happens (i.e., you don’t always have to try very hard to achieve it).

Michael Jordan was good at basketball. He wasn’t trying to build a brand, but was focused on being good at basketball. In doing so, his brand was built for him. We can all leverage this for our online lives, as well. However, as you’ve pointed out, Leo (in different words), you’d better be sure the brand you are building is in line with your own vision of yourself. :)

Don Mills Diva Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:25 am

I think this post is a great illustration of why people who really know themselves and are confident in who they are are the most successful - they see themselves the way others see them and can go forward without wasting energy fighting others’ preconceptions.

I am happy with my “brand”. I’m a bit of a diva, in that I like to say things out loud for a reaction, but I’m also somewhat self-depreciating hence the “Don Mills” moniker - Don Mills is known as a bland neighborhood around these parts: it was Canada’s first planned community after all.

Steveo250k Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:26 am

Very thoughtful article. I wonder how going from a fiction to a non-fiction persona is different than going from non-fiction to fiction? I think a pigeonhole is complex cogntive construct. A fiction pigeonhole probably carries a ‘not true’ attribute. This could get in the way when an is ‘truthful’ attribute is needed for non-fiction. Going the other way may be easier because we will be more ready to believe the ‘is truthful’ non-fiction pigeonhole when they tell us, “Ok, now I’m going to tell you a story, it’s not true, it’s just a story.” I think it is a similar problem for a commedic actor to try to play a serious role vs a dramtic actor playing comedy. In my own life, I am a fairly serious person, generally percieved as very honest, and have a dry sense of humor. I can say some pretty off the wall things and many people will believe it, when I’m really just fooling around.

Lee Ann / Living Introverted Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:27 am

Excellent and enlightening post! I was thinking about this very topic a week or so ago.

I can identify with Eric Hamm’s comment to this post - I wonder about this with the brand I’ve created for myself in my own little blog/writing niche. I’m happy there, but to even branch out a little feels odd and I wonder if I’m betraying those who know me for this one thing. Does that make sense?

Thanks for this. The whole idea of how we ourselves to be pigeonholed by others and how we pigeonhole ourselves is well worth giving some thought to.

Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D. Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:38 am

Interesting post.

As an African American I have watched folks visibly process information about me in their heads when they first meet me trying to pigeonhole me. Their questions sound like an interview as they struggle with my varied interests and education in a transparent attempt to find a comfortable place for me in their heads. I find it quite entertaining,.

I agree that pigeonholing people is a shortcut. But it becomes a problem if you find yourself trying to fit into someone else’s perception or hesitating to make changes because of it.

Several comments have touched on the change in audience that takes place as you change. I’ve had several businesses and a traditional career throughout my life. Even though there was some overlap, my audiences were indeed different. Last year, I took another turn when I began blogging in the self-help arena. The great thing about all my other lives is that they are the source of great material.

I resist being pigeonholed by being involved in more than one niche. I don’t do that to be mysterious. I just love pursuing different interests.

Lance Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:39 am

Leo, definitely have to agree. I have a fiction background and reputation is everything in that industry. Even among fiction writers, you can get pigeonholed as a sci-fi writer vs. a writer of serious literature, and it’s hard to cross categories.

If you’re a writer and interested in branding yourself as an all-around creative person, I would suggest starting a BLOG and writing on a multitude of subjects. Even consider writing under a pseudonym (or several) so that you can position yourself in multiple niches.

Dark Knight Says:

January 14th, 2009, 10:53 am

Leo,
What if someone used and alias a pen name? Then each alias would be pigeonholed and not necessarily the person behind the alias,

Dark Knight

Adam Di Stefano - 52 Short Stories Says:

January 14th, 2009, 11:00 am

Leo - very nice post, but I have to respectfully disagree with the idea that you need to mind how you get pigeonholed. Changing pigeonholes is possible, it’s just not easy. What most people don’t realize is that changing pigeonholes, essentially means starting from scratch. The reason you don’t see many successful non-fiction authors becoming successful fiction authors is because they would have to start from the very bottom again, and most people aren’t willing to do that.

The way to beat pigeonholing is to make yourself un-pigeonhole-able (someone contact Merriam-Webster, that should be in next year’s edition). Since graduating from law school, I’ve practiced law, managed bars and restaurants, written freelance, and worked in marketing - always doing at least two at a time. My resume usually requires a lot of explanation, but I can say this, nobody has ever pigeonholed me.

Make yourself un-pigeonhole-able.

The Personal Finance Playbook Says:

January 14th, 2009, 11:31 am

I love the idea that each person is creating a brand. It’s business speak for day to day living. A brand is really just something to identify with. I think to reinvent yourself, you have to start slowly, and from lower rungs. If you have a following in a particular area, that may not transfer completely, but some people will follow you into the new phase. Was the fiction just an analogy, or are you interested in writing fiction going forward?

lemon Says:

January 14th, 2009, 11:32 am

You’re thinking about it too much. This forumulates the very concept of what you are describing.

Slacker Says:

January 14th, 2009, 11:32 am

Pidgeonhole or not, the topic is similar to racism. People develop a stereotype based on what they hear or patterns they think they are observing. At some point we all have to just rise above the misplaced perceptions at first and do our thing. People will eventually notice but what matters most if what you think of yourself.

- Slacker
http://www.theslackermethod.com

Gennaro @ Enduring Wanderlust Says:

January 14th, 2009, 11:47 am

This concept is often seen in Hollywood. An actor who makes it big in a particular type of role struggles to get other roles. Few comedic actor get serious drama roles and vice versa. It happens, but hitting it big in a specific genre makes it difficult to switch.

Shanel Yang - Easy Steps to Success Says:

January 14th, 2009, 11:54 am

Some have successfully made major switches:

1. Barbra Streisand (singer to actor and director)
2. Sylvester Stallone (screenwriter to actor)
3. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon (screenwriters to actors)
4. Arnold Schwarzenneger (bodybuilder to actor to CA governor)
5. Ronald Reagan (actor to U.S. President)
6. Al Franken (actor to maybe Minnesota senator)
7. Sonny Bono (singer to mayor of Palm Springs, CA)
8. Clint Eastwood (actor to director to mayor of Carmel, CA)
9. Fred Grandy (TV actor “Gopher” from the “The Love Boat” to U.S. Rep. from Iowa)
10. Shirley Temple (child actor to U.S. ambassador and diplomat)

But, others, no matter how hard they tried, could not do it successfully (i.e. succeed in their new chosen career or persona):

1. Madonna (singer to actor or writer of a kid’s book)
2. Elvis (singer to actor)
3. Rosie O’Donnell (”Queen of nice” to “take me as I am”)
4. Keanu Reeves (actor to singer)
5. Mel Gibson (actor to singer)

I think if the talent and perseverance are both there, the switch can be made successfully, eventually. You will lose many — maybe all — of your original fans if you follow your heart and change mid-career to something new; but, if you keep at it with the same passion you gave to your first career/style/persona, then you’ll eventually gain a new loyal set of fans. And, even if they’re a much smaller group, you’ll still be much happier than with a huge fan base that loves someone you are only pretending to be anymore. That’s what happened with the Dixie Chicks. ; )

Renato Says:

January 14th, 2009, 12:09 pm

I remember when I was a little kid, I used to be very shy and would quietly keep to myself. In school I was pigeonholed as just that: the quiet boy. When I turned 14 or 15 years old I had changed a lot, and I evolved into a more outgoing guy with new people I met. So outside of school, in my neighborhood, I had a lot of friends and was perceived as the guy who told jokes. Nonetheless, no matter what I did, I was still the quiet boy at school, with the people I knew since I was a kid.

But the thing is, I still behaved like that in front of them. It’s not that I was hypocritic, but I felt, probably in a subconcious manner, that I had to honor that persona. In a twist of things, I had to repeat one year, and I found myself in a new class, with new classmates… and I was the oldest. It wasn’t until then that I could get rid of the quiet boy stigma.

So, in the case of fiction and non-fiction, I guess you can break out of your pigeonhole if you start over with a different audience or target group. The problem is that you cannot “ride” your previous fame to push your new endeavor. You’d have to start over.

Honolulu reader Says:

January 14th, 2009, 12:24 pm

Sorry to disagree with this post and some of the comments, but I’d like to offer a different perspective on Michael Jordan. I thought it was wonderful that he had the confidence to play on a minor league team and not the majors. It was clear to me that he was playing for the love of the sport and not for what his fans, critics were thinking. And the main point is that ultimately he was going to be “judged” based on more objective criteria (hitting, fielding, etc.).

Perhaps a better analogy might be the actors who decide to sing or vice versa. In these situations, they are very much subjected to people’s perceptions up front. The first example that comes to mind is Jennifer Hudson. Whether they succeed or not often is the result of someone else giving them opportunities.

I really enjoy reading your entries.

Porter Says:

January 14th, 2009, 12:35 pm

Eh. Just keep ‘em guessing. If they pigeon-hole you and don’t accept your new endeavor, give them Whitman:

“Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)”

And if that doesn’t work, give them Hemingway:

[No quote, just a punch in the mouth.]

Mike Says:

January 14th, 2009, 13:17 pm

In person, I’m known for not stereotyping or pigeonholing people at all (I don’t really convey that over my normal online activities unless I’m communicating with only a few people). I like to think of it as a good thing. I’ve never been known to say “I wouldn’t have thought you to like …”, or something similar, and I plan to keep it that way.

Rob Says:

January 14th, 2009, 13:19 pm

My top tips for personal branding include:

1. Know Your Own Brand: What are the things that are important to you?

2. Eliminate Any Ego Based Perception: Ignore those temporary things in life and focus on the areas that have real lasting impact.

3. Hold True Your Background: Your background is often a large part of who you are. This could be where you grew up, what kind of schooling or childhood you had, your family, your heritage, your religious beliefs, whatever the things are that have been a big part of your life, don’t abandon them.

4. Live and Reinforce Your Morals: Do you have and know your morals? Do you live by them and make decisions by them?

5. Make Your Core Values Known: Core values are also an important area of life to use, to learn about yourself and to understand your brand in life. There are many advantages of truly understanding your core values and sharing them and when it comes to branding, they are a strong part of a person’s makeup and living by them should help you align yourself with the brand you want.

6. Practice What You Preach: If you want to have a brand that others can believe, you have to make it believable. You do this by demonstrating and showing that you are true to the brand you portray and that you actually do practice what you preach.

7. Strengthen Your Unique Attributes: Identify all the things about yourself that make you unique. Is it your attitude, style, humor, work ethic, learning, motivation, energy, empathy, helpfulness, ability to focus, kindness, honesty, responsibility, cooperation, acceptance or your perseverance! Of course there are more attributes then that but those tend to fit into the category of liked attributes in the workplace and relationships.

8. Demonstrate Your Most Wanted Traits: For similar reasons you should show the attributes you have that are your most wanted traits. Perhaps the most wanted by you or perhaps that of others. If you want your brand to demonstrate that, you need to work on them, and practice them so they are visible in many areas of your life.

9. Write About and Share With Others: Writing is unfortunately seen by most people as a waste of time, however, there is HUGE value in it. If you want to show and learn more yourself about any content or subject, then writing about it is an excellent way to do that.

10. Be Consistent With Your Brand: Be congruent with a consistent brand for yourself. Be consistent with our online profiles or brand wherever it is displayed.

Kadi Says:

January 14th, 2009, 13:21 pm

Great article and so true! I started a “mommy blog” four years ago and at first it was just the hum drum mommy stuff. Then when I decided to be more frank and open and use my crude humor, people were shocked! I lost a lot of readers, but gradually gained a whole lot more over the next two years. It took awhile though!

Kevin Says:

January 14th, 2009, 13:47 pm

Hello Leo,

While I understand and agree with the concept of pigeonholing (or labeling someone) I do believe in our world today you have the chance to create whatever it is you want.

There are three things that are required:
1. Is an inner yearning, understanding, introspection and confidence of you and what you want to create or re-create. Sometimes this can take months or years to decide. In other cases as with Ghandi it was instant…
2. The ability (at first) to put yourself in a new space of people. It does require talking to new people outside of your core niche rather than people who saw you in the old way. What I’ve found is talking to new people gives you confidence to go back to your old audience.
3. A medium to present what you do… be that the web world of blogging, a job or whatever…

Here are some examples of people who have changed their niche - famous people: Ghandi (Lawyer to Spiritual Leader), Ronald Reagan (Actor to President), Arnold… (the Terminator)…

Today Kevin Costner (the actor) released a new country music CD. Time will tell if it will be embraced.

In your role with Zenhabits you could definitely diversify and re-create something totally different. Just like Zenhabits it might takes some time to build and you wouldn’t talk to the Zenhabits community if it was outside their message.

Pigeonholing is a label we place on ourselves and what others place on us… all of this can be changed in my opinion..

Have a good one.
Kevin

Michael Says:

January 14th, 2009, 13:53 pm

this is something that I’ve struggled with more in the non-internet world with people’s expectations. it’s always easier to fulfill them than it is to do what is actual.

Jessica T. Says:

January 14th, 2009, 13:58 pm

I agree! I think that’s why a lot of times people get a whole net set of friends after making significant changes in who they are.

If the old group knew you as a liar, they aren’t gonna start trusting you, even if you’ve been honestly for a couple years now. If the old group knows you’re great at cooking, they’re still gonna want you to invite them over for dinners and won’t understand when you keep saying your new passion is photography. Those are simplified examples, but good ones.

I’m sure it’s much harder when you’re in the public eye and cannot escape to a new crowd or fresh slate.

Dave Doolin Says:

January 14th, 2009, 15:00 pm

In my experience, when you change yourself as a brand, you lose the “friends” incapable of accepting your personal change. If this process repeats, you end up with a set of friends who are more or less evolving in similar ways, all having left behind “friends” incapable of accepting their growth.

tigerbee Says:

January 14th, 2009, 15:09 pm

I like Porters post, funny stuff! I am a multi faceted person with many things going all at once. And change is part of being alive, part of the fun…I think I would only appeal to people of the same mindset and if I didn’t- I really wouldn’t care. There’s a LOT of people in this world!

Tara Says:

January 14th, 2009, 15:16 pm

This is a very timely post. As I just explore blogging, and creating a website, etc, I’ve thought a lot about this, even worried about it. I have so many interests, and a major lack of focus. For instance, yesterday on Amazon I bought a chic lit book and a medieval warfare book at the same time. What would someone take away from that? I don’t want to come across as flaky, but I also have no intention of stifling myself. Anyone else have an issue with branding when you are a “Jack of all trades, Master of maybe just a few?”

Gunnar Says:

January 14th, 2009, 15:35 pm

I prefer not to think about myself as a “brand”.

The word brand seems connected to reducing some aspects and strengthening others in order to better display your brand.

That leads to acting and being artificial.

Peter Says:

January 14th, 2009, 15:49 pm

Hi Leo

Forgive me if this sounds rude but has this article been brought on by the fact that you have been writing a fiction book ?

(You mentioned it in your interview with Merlin Mann, as perhaps your next project)

People don’t tend to like change or the unknown of course, and i think pigeonholing puts us at ease with other people - you know what subjects to talk about with them etc.
Changing your public brand makes you different and new again and this makes people uneasy.

Easing this changeover from familiar to new would be the answer I suppose but how to do that? . . . . . . . .

peter

Fit Bottomed Girls Says:

January 14th, 2009, 18:18 pm

I’d never thought of this before, but you’re totally right…

Elizabeth Scott Says:

January 14th, 2009, 18:19 pm

This is something I’ve thought about through various stages of my life–I think it starts in middle school (when kids start ‘branding’ themselves into different cliques)! When you develop a reputation, whether it’s as a geek in high school, a party-er in college, or a niche blogger in Real Life, those labels do tend to stick. There have been some excellent suggestions on overcoming that in the comments as well as in this blog post.

I’ve noticed that this also relates to our stress levels in that we tend to pigeonhole events like we do people. We start thinking of our jobs as ‘boring’, tune out mentally, and miss opportunities to be challenged. (This, too, can start in middle school, lol.) We think of obstacles as too challenging to be completely overcome, and we give up before we even try (learned helplessness). I think it’s important to think about how we limit ourselves by how we think of ourselves and others, and how we think about life in general. To keep an open mind is a challenge, and is its own reward.

Great post!

Marc Says:

January 14th, 2009, 18:23 pm

This is why I’ve never really attempted to do much online that presented an open picture of who I am. I’ve always been able to walk into a situation and get a job based off of my skill sets and technical expertise.

Also, I was never really “set” with what I wanted to do in life for a career. Now I finally am, at 33. The career change necessary wont be easy (lots of college) but my heart is behind it 100% now and the feeling is great!

In summary, my advice to younger people is to not create a huge online presence of yourself unless you know your heart is behind the content and you truly enjoy it! This will make a change later on much easier.

It wont be long before a mash up of linked In and facebook gives someone a Minority Report outlook on what you are likely to do as an employee and or mate.

irish Says:

January 14th, 2009, 18:38 pm

this is what happened to our countrymen, manny pacquaio. the famous worldwide filipino boxer. he was known to be a champion boxer beating oscar de la hoya along with other boxers. but people never approved of him when he wanted to be a politician to serve our country, Philippines, all because they can’t see him being a politician, and they want him to remain as a boxer.

Rob Says:

January 14th, 2009, 18:53 pm

You might be interested in this Leo:
http://www.anitabell.com/mybizarretrip.htm
To quote out the good bits:
“But what very few people realise is that the genre of non-fiction finance was NOT the genre that I set out to be published in. You see, my first thriller had been rejected (as most first novels are), but I didn’t realise at the time that rejection was a fairly standard first stage in becoming a published writer.
……….
I kept hearing the same story: That I was trying too hard and that I should start with something easier, like writing what I know about.
………..
Your Mortgage only took me 2 weeks to write,
……
it got published, shot to No #1 and stayed there for a long time, where it became runner up with Bryce Courtney for Best Australian Title of the Year in it’s first year, despite only 4.5 months on the bookshelves.

Sadly, a lot of people wrongly assume that having a mega-bestseller in non-fiction - and two more under contract - made it heaps easier for me to get my thriller published.
But this was definitely not the case!

In many ways, it made it harder. I’d become too well known as a finance author, so nobody wanted to see my first action thriller - no financial author on the planet has ever been a successful creative writer as well, so what hope could I possibly have?
……..
So after a long time trying and re-trying, I decided to submit my novel again under a pen-name… then five out of six major publishers all wrote to me immediately wanting to see more!
………
I did end up publishing my first thriller under my own name after it was accepted, and now the rest is history…”

The Daily Minder Says:

January 14th, 2009, 18:53 pm

You got that non-fiction to fiction author! Well done Leo.

Leo Says:

January 14th, 2009, 18:58 pm

@Peter: Yes, this post was brought on as I thought about making the switch to fiction, and wondered how many authors have switch over from non-fiction (such as self-help, not memoirs) to fiction after making a name first in non-fiction. It’s pretty rare (with memoirs being the main exception). So I began to think about how one would make such a switch, in terms of reader perception. It’s an interesting topic.

@Gunnar: You definitely bring up a good point. I think my point in writing this article comes, as I just said in my reply to Peter, from the desire to switch fields. In that case, thinking about yourself as a “brand” is useful, because people’s perceptions have a very real impact on your career. In my case, if they don’t take me seriously as a fiction writer, it would be hard for me to get people to read the book.

Now, that doesn’t mean I should act in a way that’s not genuine, in order to improve my brand. But being aware of these realities is useful if you’re trying to do something like this.

Anyway, it was just food for thought. I am not too worried about it myself … success to me isn’t measured in how many readers I get, but in other things: whether I’m helping people, whether I enjoy what I’m doing, etc. :)

Parahacker Says:

January 14th, 2009, 19:08 pm

Changing your pigeonhole is completely doable; all you have to do is change your name, your style, and your focus all at the same time.

There was an old marketing book I read years ago, written pre-internet, that covered the topic of branding. How to gain mental space via branding and advertising. One of its core premises was the idea of creating totally new identities for new products; sure, using the established name gave you a wedge into the marketplace, but it hurt sales in the long run. The same held true for authors and actors, the first among men that lived by a mass-appeal ‘brand’; that’s why pen names and stage names exist.

jessica Says:

January 14th, 2009, 19:19 pm

Hi Leo,

I think you should submit your novel under a pen name.
I think it will be harder to make the switch than to just emerge as a brand new writer noone has heard of, but on the other hand, imagine the support of your 80,000 subscribers when you publish your first novel. We will all be clamouring to buy a copy! So there are pros and cons. If an unknown publishes a book, it is so much harder to generate publicity as a nobody.
I promise I will not pigeonhole you! Ever since you hinted about a partially-finished novel I have been curious…

Dmytro Malenko Says:

January 14th, 2009, 19:36 pm

Nice concept!

Often when you try to change for better people face it with suspicion. They think you want to fool them to get something out of it and then get back the previous state. And this is a serious obstacle for personality change.

When we speak about career and similar changes I guess honest declaration of your intentions and goals can help others to get to know you in a new hat. But I’m not sure if it is going to work in for a really famous person.

Tarraguña Says:

January 14th, 2009, 19:54 pm

Great post. I have also noticed this in life. It quite bothers me as I change what I am doing frequently. I find it to be most difficult with family as their idea of you is from when you were a child and possibly doing things to win their approval/ affection/ love.

I think it is really hard for the majority to accept change. So when you evolve, progress, or just change as you try new things it makes people nervous.

Lack of change gets incorrectly interpreted as stability and this leads to feelings of safety.

Johnny Kuo Says:

January 14th, 2009, 23:35 pm

People will continue to pigeonhole others; it’s human nature to attach labels to people. On the other hand, labels can always be changed. It may take great effort (or perhaps in the case of a write, a pseudonym), but busting out of a pigeonhole can happen. Impermanence is one of the 4 Noble Truths. Even a pigeonhole will change in time.

Also, I think it’s important not to let the pigeonholes other people have put you in dictate who you become. It’s not very Zen to attach labels to people based on preconceptions, but it’s maybe even worse to let other people’s labels define you.

deepti Says:

January 15th, 2009, 0:34 am

I am a new subsrciber. I have read about 2 or 3 articles so far - loved your blog - somehow felt this artricle was not zen like.

Zen is formless. Zen is space. Pigeon hole is a rigid form. We need to be ourselves at all times - being true to ourselves is zen like.

If others dont like the truth in us - thats their inability to be zen like. Can we affect our zen nature by their inability to be zen like? Or should we help them to inculcate a zen like attitude?

You might then say - hey by writing this - you have pigoenholed me into writing zen. No, I have not.I have pigeon holed your zen blog. Not you. If you want to start writing something else and have another blog - I would definitely visit that ( this could give you some perspective on shifting from non fiction to fiction).

In branding, a lot of big brands have sub brands in different categories. Eg: Pepsi a soft drink major sells chips - both are loved and well sought after and the company makes money through both channels.

You are assuming that one needs to completely shift from non fiction to fiction to be famous. Both can co exist - that is zen.You could divert your loyal clients from non fiction to fiction ( because most readers read good fiction and non fiction )and word of mouth would be faster.The complete switch will happen on its own.

Pigeon holing - ( in your mind - a concept pigeonhole) from the past actions of other famous writers - just because they had to completely shift does not mean you need to - is unwarranted. You switch when the time is right and you know and feel it internally.

Maybe one also needs to ponder on whether switching for fame and relating to masses is zen like or not?

Neal Says:

January 15th, 2009, 3:19 am

A very important and well articulated point.

My experience is that the only person who can pigeon-hole me….is me. To the extent that I reside in my “adult” space and don’t waste my time trying to impress or intimidate others, I can live my reality - whatever that happens to be at the moment.

Your blog inspires me. Thank You

Erin Says:

January 15th, 2009, 4:21 am

Are you actually wanting to write fiction, or are you just using this as an example? Since this is applicable to others, I’ll share a very valuable lesson I learned from a friend:

Take on a pen name. It doesn’t even have to be totally secret forever, and this is extremely common in genre fiction where crossing genres is not as well-received. As part of a writing community, I know several writers who use this technique. One male friend of mine writes under a gender-neutral pseudonym for his series of urban fantasy since that tends to be a very female-dominated sub-genre, but uses his full name for everything else. This is not really a secret, not even from his fans, but it helped him break out into a market that was wider than his original fan base. So essentially, use a pseudonym, tell your current fan-base if you want, and then you get to start fresh without having to necessarily start over.

Dorothee Says:

January 15th, 2009, 5:17 am

interesting topic!

i had the same thought as Erin: pen-names. i wouldn’t be surprised if quite a number of authors out there are using pen names for books that don’t really fit in the image or “brand” they have developed with the books they have written so far.

another interesting aspect that adds to the situation: it’s one of the marketing strategies of publishers to create an author brand: if you look at covers from one author, they usually come with a visual “branding”, so that readers can easily identify the “new book” of the author. plus, all the advertising that went into a book and its cover shown in ads then keeps paying off for follow-up books. this, of course, creates the very pigeonhole of expectation that makes it difficult to jump into a different area. (same with music bands).

Aravind Jose T. Says:

January 15th, 2009, 5:32 am

Yes. I’ve reviwed my mind sometime earlier, and I’ve thought of this same thing.

So, BE GOOD.
Goodness will always be appreciated, respected and cherished, whichever pigeon hole may it be put in.

Great article.

J.D. Meier Says:

January 15th, 2009, 5:47 am

To be safe, I think I’ll remain incognito.

Steveo250k / O-Shining-See Says:

January 15th, 2009, 9:23 am

Most of our posts make a big assumption; Can we even do the work of a new brand? Can a non-fiction writer write fiction that anyone would want to read or would it be crap? Our church organist was brilliant with the organ, classical, and church music. He composed music. But he didn’t even know who Garth Brooks was, when Garth was at the peak of his fame.

Do we reject someone’s new pigeonhole because of our limitations or theirs?

Vincent Says:

January 15th, 2009, 10:30 am

Hi Leo,

As what others said, “first impression counts.” Whenever we had met new people, we are immediately slotted into the pigeon hole that they created for us and it solidifies over time. I have to agree that it is hard for us to change pigeon hole and in order for us to get into a good pigeon hole, we would better make sure our first impression is good.

Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger

Bhavesh Naik Says:

January 15th, 2009, 14:21 pm

A couple more examples in case you are looking.

Deepak Chopra wrote a fiction some time ago, don’t remember the name of the book. He went back to writing his new-age stuff pretty quickly.

John Grisham wrote a non-fiction and again, I can’t recall the name of the book. He is struggling to get back his fiction-writing mojo. (The latest one, The Appeal, was terrible. It’s almost like he forgot how to write fiction).

An interesting study is Nora Roberts who is very well known for writing one kind of fiction - romance novels - and writes another kind - murder mysteries - under a different name - J.D. Robb. Actually, she mentions both names on the murder mysteries. Will be interesting see how this turns out.

Tamikka Says:

January 15th, 2009, 15:29 pm

The first thing that popped into my head when I read this post is “pigeonhole=prejudice”.

Rob- Not all of my background fits me anymore. I was raised as “religious”, but that doesn’t fit me anymore. I decided to let that go. If I were to stay true to my background, I wouldn’t be true to myself NOW.

Flora- I, too, am a woman of color and have experienced the same thing. I do things that some consider “not normal” for someone of color to do…like know how to swim. ;0) (Stereotypes)

Marc- Many kids don’t think about the consequences of what they do now and how if might affect them in their future. On the same token, if we allowed these to be considered “miss-takes” of youth, they might be able to grpw from these experiences as we have been allowed . I know that I did things in my youth that weren’t recorded on a Flip Video and posted to YouTube the same day…fortunately. I offer the same type of grace to the youth today.

Something further, we have all, at some level, given each other permission to evolve…even expect it. If we do not, we would all still be watching Saturday morning cartoons, playing tag or in the mud for hours and eating PB&J sandwiches for lunch every day. Evolution is a natural part of life. If we took this approach to a larger level and gave people the grace to expand in life, we wouldn’t have to worry about creating a brand. It would just be considered a part of life.

As Michael Jordan promoted for Nike for years, “Just Do It.”

Becki Says:

January 15th, 2009, 16:03 pm

I think pigeonholes can change, but perceptions often lag far behind the reality, which is why a guy who’s been a hard worker for a long time can be cut a break if he slacks off a little–he’s still perceived as a hard worker until the slacking-off goes on for quite a while. I think it takes even longer to go from a “negative” pigeonhole to a “positive” one; people seem to cherish their negative opinions of others more than their positive ones, for some reason.

Mary Says:

January 15th, 2009, 22:24 pm

Since people form their perceptions in part based on things they hear from other people, maybe being more aware of what information you pass on about others is something to consider. And when you hear a juicy bit of information about someone else, perhaps consider your own judgement before pigeonholing based on that information. Was the story accurately and/or completely relayed to you? What biases frame your view of the event or condition, or source of information? Is it reasonable to expect that person will always “be” that past event or condition, if in fact they ever were?

This week I told someone about this site, but lo and behold I failed to mention, of all things, Zen Habit’s productivity angle! The articles I’ve enjoyed the most are about Leo’s personal successes, and that is what I passed on.

Leo, I look forward to the day when I pick up up a copy of your best-selling, award-winning novel to read…

Steveo250k / O-Shining-See Says:

January 16th, 2009, 9:52 am

In psychological terms a pigeonhole is known as a schema. A plan or model for organizing our world and to be able to plan for and deal with the future. It can have negative effects for example when our values clash with the values of others or when the world changes and the change to our schema (a.k.a. pigeonhole) lags. But in general it is a necessary and good thing.

Mark Stovin Says:

January 16th, 2009, 10:11 am

Great post, Leo.

As I crawl deeper down the rabbit hole with media like Facebook, I get the sensation, and forgive me for using an overused social media quote, that as George Costanza once famously said, “my worlds are colliding, Jerry!”

Your post lit the bulb over my head, and I realize that one of the awkward sensations I have been having is that I have multiple pigeonholes among the various people I am now connected to. Thanks to the advancement of social media, each day brings with it a sort of “This is Your Life Show,” and I find myself asking myself several things: What persona am I really? Which one do I want to be? Is it okay to be different things to different people? Can I change my persona?

Good luck on your efforts to evolve!

Jennifer Ryan @ I Choose Change Says:

January 16th, 2009, 11:04 am

At a recent dinner with my husband, it seems I sat at on the “wild side” of the table! Everyone (including me!) was drinking, laughing, joking… and the constant joke for me that night was, “And how do you feel about that?” “Tell me more.” And, “Mmm Hmm. I see.”

At first I laughed (but rolled my eyes on the inside). Then, I was frankly, annoyed. Then I just had to put my ignore hat on.

This article is important, and it’s something that I personally think about OFTEN. Yes, I have my identities on Facebook, Twitter, with my clients and my various places, but I also have a life where I am NOT a Psychotherapist! In fact, that is the largest, most important part of my life.

I have a goal to always be authentically present and available in the most important part of my life: family. That commitment makes me a great therapist and coach.

There is a balance between the roles we play in life. But the real key, at least for me, is to ALWAYS be authentic. Being authentic doesn’t mean self-disclosing my entire life. It just means, being aware of who you are, but also being aware of who’s reading. AND, that private life is private life. =)

Thanks for this great post!

Michael Dundas Says:

January 16th, 2009, 21:47 pm

Great post.

I think it has been said in different ways in the previous comments, but I think people pigeon-hole others because it makes it easier. This person is X, this person is Y, then they don’t have to constantly re-assess. To not pigeon-hole is work You have to constantly be open to taking in new information correlating that to older info and re-assess with everyone you interact with. I have spent the last 4 years at work being placed in ‘technical geek’ or ‘people manager’ pigeon-hole — constantly going back and forth depending on who was doing the pigeon-holing. I think there was some ‘rule’ that said you can’t be both. I am finally starting to make headway and people are making a ‘new’ pigeon-hole which at least is a combo of the two and better for now. I purposely consciously try not to pigeon-hole, especially at work because of what happened to me and it is tiresome.

Manic Says:

January 17th, 2009, 2:11 am

Pigeonholing also depends on roles. Different people will pigeonhole us different ways depending on the role we play when we meet them.

For example people meeting an accountant at work will her in a serious conservative role and pigeonhole her that way.

Her girls night out friends will see her as some one uninhibited having a good time. Pigeonholed.

So often to change our pigeonhole, we can change our roles or play a different role with the same people.

Manic

Small Business Marketing Says:

January 17th, 2009, 5:30 am

I find that my filing system for people puts each person into a category and I guess I never really thought of that as a pigeon hole. I fully understand how difficult it is to switch them since over time one become very accustomed to relating to that person via that pigeon hole.

Andrew R - Go Healthy Go Fit Says:

January 17th, 2009, 16:53 pm

I’ll play the devil’s advocate on this one.

How do you feel about the concept of “teaching others how you want to be treated”? I think that in most relationships, you set standards for that relationship right off the bat. So if you are the type of person who won’t allow others to use him/her, then you need to make that evident right off the bat, don’t you?

But what if that makes you come off as difficult, demanding, or any other description that sheds a negative light on you? Do the benefits outweigh the cost?

Curious to hear your answer, thanks for the post!

All the Best,

Andrew R

Erelen Tar-Hiriel Says:

January 17th, 2009, 18:10 pm

Wonderful food for thought Leo. I try to deliver quality in all that I do. That is my brand. At the same time, I resist being pidgeonholed by continuously learning and trying new things. It’s impossible to be pidgeonholed when you are consciously growing and evolving!

tjj Says:

January 18th, 2009, 3:14 am

Good article, it made me do a lot of reflection.
You always hear the same ole bylines. Just do whatever it takes to get your foot in the door. You need to be flexible in the work environment and be willing to do other things. BBBBUUUUTTTTTT if do that, you risk being pigeonhole into something you hate, and no will think of giving you the task that you really want or good at doing.

Then if you try to do the right thing and do your job or assigned task well even if you hate it, it will be that much harder to work out of your pigeonhole. For engineers, this could be your death trap because the longer you do something outside of your specialty; the farther you get away from the latest technologies.

Mygoalsbuddy Says:

January 18th, 2009, 17:48 pm

Congratulations on a great debate.

If the business predictions prove correct, we’ll find it easier to break out of our pigeonholes from a work perspective as more people embark on portfolio careers. These will require us to build a reputation across a raft of roles. The likes of Charles Handy was predicting this a long time ago.

However, Flora Morris Brown makes a hugely valid point when she says it becomes a problem if you find yourself trying to fit into someone else’s perception or hesitating to make changes because of it. Think of the many people who have embarked on unfulfilling careers simply because it’s been expected of them.

Jesse Hines Says:

January 18th, 2009, 17:59 pm

Very-thought provoking post, and very timely for me.

We’re constantly being told how important personal branding is, but rarely do we hear much about getting pigeonholed into a brand that eventually doesn’t measure up with who we are or where we want to go. Getting trapped like that can sneak up on us.

Sometimes, upon honest reflection, we have to change our personal brand to suit our new desires and directions. We’re human; it’s allowed.

I’ve been reassessing my online presence, what I blog about, and how I blog about it. Does what I blog about really reflect who I am and truly present my brand in a way that nets the actual results I’m seeking?

Am I blogging with a clear purpose and concrete goals, or just caught up in the feed the beast mentality of churning out regular content that reflects my old path?

Two comments here jumped out at me:

“Perhaps it’s better not to look at it as changing your pigeonhole, but to change your audience.”~Very Evolved

And:

“You will lose many — maybe all — of your original fans if you follow your heart and change mid-career to something new; but, if you keep at it with the same passion you gave to your first career/style/persona, then you’ll eventually gain a new loyal set of fans.”~Shanel Yang

That may be the key. Once we figure out our new direction (personal brand), we should forge ahead, and write for our intended audience, which might be a completely new one.

Kaplan Mobray, Author, The 10Ks of Personal Branding Says:

January 19th, 2009, 11:49 am

The great thing about pigeonholes as it relates to your personal brand is that you occupy space. There are many who seek to create a brand for themselves but have no place to land their impression. When you create an expectation in the minds of others about what you will deliver, and it is consistent with what you want to be known for, you create a brand that occupies space and provides the opportunity for future dialogue. Personal branding is about occupying space and using that real estate to build value for yourself and those you are associated with. If this is a pigeonhole, please invite me to your coop.

Mike Masters Says:

January 19th, 2009, 13:37 pm

I have been struggling with my pigeon hole for a while now. As you can see with the above url I have settled on something a little risque. I have at least insulted myself a bit with a pen name and even gone as far as to change my facebook name. My confusion lies in how much I should allow this online personality to infiltrate my real life? How much person to person contact actually builds a blog?

Mihail Says:

January 19th, 2009, 16:23 pm

I believe this can prove to be helpful as awareness gain. No matter what, people will build those images and more than that we can hardly control those. “Perception is reality”.
Awareness though is good :)

Antonio Fisher II Says:

January 19th, 2009, 20:53 pm

I have recently been having some introspective thought about this subject..I really started noticing how different people treat me differently..I have concluded that their perception of me is based on the experiences they have had with me…some laud me and some are disappointed with me…I have also started to notice that I do not like the way some people have pigeonholed me, however i also realized i cant really be mad at them since I have given them the very perception that I do not want them to have…..As of lately I have had serious inner battles between who I feel I am on the inside,who I am becoming and who I will be in the future vs. Who I have been and what people think of me…..I guess my goal now is to get that person on the inside to manifest himself in a vibrant and dynamic way for others to see…….Does any body have any practical steps?

Pat Says:

January 20th, 2009, 8:36 am

You’re so right abuot pigeon holing. I think we form our ideas of other people within the first 3 seconds of meeting them for the first time.

Talk about judging a book by its cover.

Once formed it takes much longer to change ones pigeon hole.

I think it’s also important to think how we brand ourselves to ourselves.

DMuffin Says:

January 22nd, 2009, 10:11 am

I think it’s important to remember this, particularly when carving out a place for yourself online. I’ve recently had to face branding myself as I’m branching out into freelance writing.

It’s hard to come up with something you feel personally connected to, is memorable, professional, and appropriate! I don’t think this post could’ve come at a better time for me. It helps to validate my choices and path, so thank you!

Sean Says:

February 12th, 2009, 8:28 am

Interesting post, but there is a risk that people mistake fame for success. If a famous non-fiction writer produces a fiction book, does it have to be a bestseller to be a success? Or can it be a creative achievement, a fantastic journey - even if only a handful of people read it?

Claire Del Says:

February 16th, 2009, 7:25 am

Personal brands and pigeonholes are something I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about too - its facinating: particularly in different environments… small town vs city vs www!

We have ever growing opportunities to add depth and breadth to the self we present, but if we show too many slices of ourselves there’s a risk we could just dilute the prominence of our most important strengths.

In a personal brand, perhaps the answer to navigate between avoiding a pigeonhole and being too fractured is congruency and giving your values visibility.