8/3/2019 Price the Brand Me

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M. Price Buchberger 

The ladder is gone. Careers don¶t follow a predetermined path, and the business world is

no longer predictable. Conditions are constantly changing, and the right move is never to plunge

 blindly forward. A better comparison is that it¶s a career mountain. Mountains demand that one

 be intrepid, flexible, and critical. A climber has never conquered a mountain, because the battle

is within: climbers can only conquer themselves. To conquer themselves, they must learn to

embody the characteristics of a mountain. Today¶s climber must be critical, unpredictable, and

composed. This is the new world, and my brand is the one that will endure Mount Everest.

Everest is the peak of the world. It is the most hostile place on earth. Summiting it

requires the right combination of fortitude, skill, friends, and luck. Attitude is the most

important: they must be flexible in unpredictable conditions, and they must never become

arrogant. A good climber (or business person) never forgets that the Sherpas make Everest

 possible, but also because arrogance leads to carelessness, and carelessness risks an entire

expedition. Finally, one must be mentally unshakable. An obstacle must stay external. One

cannot allow such a challenge to force its way into their mind, where it can block all other 

 possible success. My brand is indefatigable.

Climbers must be poised and opportunistic. The next step is of utmost importance, but it

must be planned carefully. Plan too much though, and an opportunity passes by. That¶s why my

 brand seeks to embody balance: I must test my strength equally as well as I measure my

weaknesses. Failures offer opportunities to improve, and limits must never be forgotten, but any

 brand focused only on its failings is a hopeless pessimist. Focusing only on success invites

carelessness, but it can also become a source of pride; pride can become motivation, while a

 pessimist has no reason to set foot on Everest. To conquer and balance itself, my brand is

introspective.

Introspection demands an analytical mind. A good climber doesn¶t use an untested

anchor- they ensure that it is firmly set into a good foundation. They¶ll scrutinize the smallest

details, seeking the most minute of advantages. My brand is critical: it does not accept a fact

without testing it. It will not be overwhelmed by deceit, or swayed by groupthink. It¶s proud to

swim against an erroneous current.

The brand ³Me´ is rugged, analytical, balanced, and flexible. It strives to internalize the

defining aspects of the new economy.