Maria Papacosta

Most programs fail because although they give a temporary "you can do it" hope to the audience, they're not actually teaching participants the step-by-step process of how to redesign their lives, dream their vision and commit to their goals by avoiding the most common mistakes that most people make. This is not a common motivational session. This is a life changing session where participants who actually want to improve learn and commit to doing the hard work to enable transformation to happen. This is a session where participants are held accountable for their actions and decisions and are asked to actively get involved in bringing the change they want to see. By focusing on the strengths and realizing that there is no fast change, participants embark on a journey of learning, unlearning and relearning who they are and what they want to achieve.

Well, how far can an organization go without branding? How far can you as an individual go without branding? No matter how good you are at whatever it is you're doing, you need to stand out and be heard, otherwise your audience will most likely never get the chance to meet you. Personal Branding starts with discovering your true self, your values and qualities and being held accountable for all your actions. It is not a self-promotion campaign. It's about putting forward these qualities that define you as an individual and enhancing your overall professional image. According to a Forbes survey, 70% thought they knew what their personal brand was, but only 15% were right. Personal branding is not what you think of yourself. It's about how others perceive you. Designing how others perceive you is a science.

There is a big difference and a big connection between having Presence and being Present. Being present is a primal state of being, which unfortunately most people are disconnected from. Being present is about giving the 100% of yourself in any activity you're doing. All of your senses function at their highest possible level and your mind is completely focused on what you're doing, while you are fully aware of what is going on in your surrounding environment. Having Presence means that you have the ability to impress and influence someone with your gravitas, communication skills, and appearance. In order to build your Presence you need to go through a journey of greater self-awareness and rediscover your innate presence, both physically and mentally. How you say what you say greatly affects your presence and your ability to influence others. You need to be able to control your voice, your emotions and skillfully choose the words that your audience needs to hear in order to follow yo