What Does Your Profile Picture Say About You

What Does Your Profile Picture Say About You!

So this image is my most popular profile picture and one which I use all the time. It was taken about 5 years ago – relatively recent – and over the past few years using it I have had some great comments and compliments.

BUT – really, this image couldn’t be further from what I look like in ‘real life’ and there have been quite a few ‘laughs’ with it also!!!

Let me explain…I have a big head of unruly curly hair and in this photo my hair has been straightened. When this photo was taken I was part of an inaugural exhibition of local artists in the town I lived in in Mandurah in Western Australia with a new gallery ‘INQB8’ – which was opening to support the local community. They hired a professional photographer to take profile shots to be used in their exhibition catalogue and I hadn’t had any profile pictures taken before. However I was also about 8.5 months pregnant with my second child at this time and not feeling my most ‘lovely’ so I pampered myself that morning by spending some time doing my make-up and straightening my hair. Now I can tell you that takes a while – an hour at best to even begin to get my hair straight with the straighteners, and even longer when you’re pregnant! Everyone thought I looked lovely and I was really pleased with two of the images – so much so I’ve continued to use them during the past 5 years.

However what does this profile really say about me? When people look at it and look at me in ‘real life’ they often laugh, not out of malice but just because its so opposite to my everyday look – so these images were nicknamed my ‘Professional Photos’.

In fact the best laugh I had with this photo is when I was doing the big jewellery trade show International Jewellery London a few years back and this image was on my security pass. To get into this event it has really high security and the security guards check all your passes on the way in – this one lady on the first day looked at the image and looked at me and said it wasn’t my pass and she wasn’t going to let me in. My colleague Jan and I started to laugh and I explained it was me, but with straight hair, she thought it was so funny she called over a few other guards and we all had a good laugh about it – she let me in for the rest of the week though and had a chat with me every morning.

So what I’m saying is that really this image is A TOTAL FAKE and an illusion – really its just been pure laziness as to why I haven’t bothered to get new images that better represent myself. On one hand, yes to the ‘outside world’ this image has a professional look and has served me well from that perspective but from a personal standpoint it just isn’t me! I see this a lot though with profile pictures – obviously we want to look our best but I’m taking the piss out of myself here and saying – get a grip, lets find something that better represents yourself and still makes you look professional!!

Take a look at your own profile image, critique it and let me know what it says about you and your business!

#profilepicture #yourimage #makemoney #changeyourmindset #mentortip

So I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below & if you liked this post then please share it with a friend and spread the love!