Personal marketing is all about working on yourself. It's the EVE ratio - the proportion of time you spend on your education vs your entertainment. I discovered this from iLearning Global - it's a really powerful way to assess where you are putting your time.

There are no secrets to success. If there were, pretty much everyone would know about it and everyone would be successful. The truth is, being succesful (whatever success looks like you for you) is the application of various core principles. I've not seen anything better than this three minute video for setting it all out for you.

Came across this terrific 3min video called Smile and Move. It's a great little motivator to start your day!

I also like the messages around contribution, value, consideration, relationships and giving. All of these character-based traits are fundamental in leaving legacies, creating a compelling reputation and getting people to choose you first. Take a look.

If you want people to think, feel, do and say particular things when they come into contact with you or your name, you have to inspire them to do so. You've got to be just a little better and different to what they're already seeing. If you want people to...

• Pay a premium for your product or service.
• Buy from you instead of you selling to them.
• Take a look at your network marketing opportunity.
• Promote you instead of your colleague.
• Hire you instead of your rival.
• Award your pitch the business rather than your competition....

... then you've got to give them good reasons for doing so. When you smile more, give more, share more, know more, engage more and think more, the role of overwhelming 'go to' status and ultimate number one is yours to lose!

I'm a member of TED, where I watch at least one great video a week to inspire and educate me to raise my game constantly.

As an authority on business reputations, I'm always hungry to learn what makes some people successful (and usually well-reputed) and others fail. This video by Richard St John lasts 3 mins and 30 secs. It shows that many of the things that lead to success also lead to a great reputation. Watch it now.

If you're going to make an impact, leave a legacy, create a disruption, become a leader worth following or be so irresistible that people always come to you when they need what you do, you need to watch this!

Now what are you doing that will lead to success, whatever success looks like for you?

When you achieve success, people take notice. You begin to impact lives. Success is rarely an isolated event. And your reputation acquires an aura, a compelling attraction that makes you irresistible. When you're successful, you increase the likelihood that:

All of these are the pay-offs for a reputation as the number one choice and trusted voice for what you do. Now isn't that interesting?

Strive for success, and it's likely your reputation will take care of itself.