Wondering which branding quiz will give you the definitive answers about what makes you unique?

It’s true, you’ve got options.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock lately, you’ve undoubtedly been harassed by at least a dozen “Which _________ are you?” quizzes in your Facebook feed.

These tests promise to tell you…

  • Which Game of Thrones // Star Wars // Walking Dead // Mad Men // character you are
  • Which Greek God // Comic Book Hero // you should be
  • How long you’d survive a zombie apocalypse // natural catastrophe
  • Which city // state // country // planet you should live on/in
  • Which wild animal // dinosaur // mythical creature // barnyard animal hides within you
  • What your true career path // life purpose // calling is
  • Whether you’re right or left-brained (or both)
  • Whether you’re introverted // extroverted // omniverted

You get the idea…

While these quizzes aren’t likely based on scientific research, they’re popular because they use aspects of storytelling that we all understand: archetypes, heroes, villains and metaphors.

I don’t recommend you rely on their results to help you with your branding. But if you feel like a quiz or two would help, there are some great assessments out there.

Some that could actually be helpful in your understanding of yourself, your place in the world, and how to use that information in your branding.

Here are a few of my favorites…

Strengthsfinder (free when you buy their book)

Sally Hogshead’s Fascination Advantage (may be free when you buy her book due out July 1st)

The Brand Alchemist’s Archetype Test (free with opt-in)

Myers-Briggs Assessment (Official)

Personality test based on Myers Briggs (free version)

Perry Marshall’s Marketing DNA

Shawn Driscoll’s Trailblazer Quotient (free with opt-in)

What Color is Your Parachute (any of the series of books)

While I admit to having many of my Origin Story clients take some of these assessments (and administering a few of my own), it’s crucial that you remember that nothing — no person, “authority” or standardized test — outside yourself can tell you who you are.

Because who you are is constantly growing, evolving and becoming.

So your answers to those questionnaires will likely change over time. Depending on your mood. Depending on your level of self-awareness. And depending on how much you think about the question!

We take these tests when we need some clarity about where we are right now. (Or, more to the point, who we are right now.)

These quizzes are like “…a decoder ring for our personalities, a simple and ostensibly objective shortcut to the messy work of self-understanding.” (see “Why are We So Obsessed with the Myers-Briggs“)

Figuring out Your Branding is a Messy Process

Kind of like preparing and eating an artichoke. To get to the heart (the best part!), you’ve got to have a little patience. You can’t rush things. You’ve got to make sure your artichoke is thoroughly cooked before you start peeling away — and eating! — the layers.

And at least for me, I think it’s always a lot more fun to share the process with a friend or two. Maybe a mentor or a coach?

But the bottom line is that all external tools and partners (like those assessments) are limited. They can only provide you with a sliver of insight about who you are and what your life and business are supposed to mean.

The other stuff has to come from you. And from your innate ability to find the patterns and meaning in your life.

Here’s my best advice for getting there:

Think of yourself as an objective observer of your life. Perhaps an anthropologist studying this one individual human. (You.)

Get yourself a notebook, or collect clues and post them on a wall or a bulletin board. Pinterest is a great digital tool for this, too.

1. Map out all the major events of your life in five-year increments. What happened along your path to shape who you are now? What were the most traumatic and ecstatic things that happened to you? What did you learn from them?

2. List all of your jobs and career choices in chronological order. What pieces of those are you most proud of? What made your heart sing? And what lessons kept repeating themselves?

3. What are your biggest quirks? What traits do you have that make you feel weird or “outside” the norm? How have coped or dealt with them?

4. What are your top passions? What do you love to do, experience or share with others? What would you do if money were no object? If you had only a year left to live? How do you spend your non-working hours?

5. What “super powers” do you possess? What strengths and expertise cause others to continually seek you out? Ask your friends, family and colleagues to share three to five words that best describe you.

6. What core values motivate and drive you? What gets you out of bed in the morning? What aspects of how you work with others do you consider non-negotiables?

These are all clues that — when you allow your subconscious mind and intuition to help — can provide clarity around things like:

  • what you seek is seeking youYour Big Why and what motivates you to keep going even when things get crazy rough.
  • Which types of clients you prefer and possible niche(s) to pursue (do you enjoy working with creatives or engineers? And do they need/want what you have?).
  • The best way to deliver your product or service (do you want to build something big and wide or go deep with just a select few?).
  • How to present yourself and talk about what you do in a way that connects with just the right crowd (these are the outward signs and symbols like your logo, your tagline and other copy).
  • Where to put your energy and focus so that every action you take is congruent with your vision and mission.
  • How to say YES to your dreams and stop trying to please everyone who shows up.

How to Let Your Intuition and Subconscious Mind Help You Grok This

All good detectives know the “magic” of assembling the clues in one place, staring at them for a bit (with the intent of finding patterns and connections), and then doing something else.

Your intention to find answers is what sets your subconscious on the task to find them. It’s what your subconscious does best (which is why it’s such a good idea to ask the right questions).

TRUTH: Branding isn’t a process that can be solved by taking the perfect quiz, questionnaire or high-priced assessment. << Tweet this

It requires so MUCH more of you than that.

It needs you to spend time consciously and subconsciously thinking about and examining your life. Finding the patterns and connecting the dots within your heart, mind and soul. Ultimately, only you can do that. You are the Ultimate Assessment Tool.

I can help you discover and clarify a version of your origin story (and by extension, your super powers), but you’re still the final authority on you.

So which personality quiz has been your favorite so far? Do you know (or care) which Harry Potter character you are? Share with us in a comment and let’s talk about the best (and worst) ways to figure out your brand story. (I’m Dumbledore, by the way.)

 

Feedback:

Thank you for the great advice! JW, GPSTS.org

Great resource list, we are putting these pearls of wisdom to practice! Thanks again, Deb from GolfSW