What is your weakness? Is it time management? Is it your body image? Is it your diet? Is it the way you talk to or think about yourself?

I’d like to throw one thing out there: We all have flaws. And I’m not talking about the ones you spill during your interviews:

Interviewer: What are your top two weaknesses?

Interviewee: I have a hard time saying, “No,” and I have difficulty with my work/life balance.

Okay, Captain Obvious, we know you’re a workaholic. And now the interviewer knows you’ll be a perfect candidate for grunt work and never a candidate for a management role. But how about your real weaknesses?

A Tale of Body Image Issues

I recently read an article titled, “How a women’s wrestling night changed my view of my body forever.” I have to admit, without even attending the event and merely reading about it, I feel empowered. While most woman are afraid of being too heavy, I tend to be on the opposite end of the spectrum: I’m too skinny. And while most woman don’t want to hear about my body issues, they’re just as real. I don’t like wearing a two-piece swim suit, and there are times that I weigh myself and want to cry. But after reading Moya Crockett’s article, I’m ready to accept my body the way it is. My weaknesses are perfectly fine and part of who I am. It doesn’t matter what others think of me as long as I can learn to accept myself. And while I may always have the nagging feeling that someone is staring at me or judging me, so be it! Look! Judge!

How About Brand Image Issues?

I find this to be a parallel in the world of marketing and branding. Many companies spend a great deal of time worrying about what their competitors are doing and what their peers think of them. They seem to forget the most important message: Their own.

If your competitors are shooting themselves in the foot, should you? If your competitors are over-selling and under-producing, should you? No! Of course not.

So, if you have a fierce competitor that seems to be eating up market share, perhaps instead of worrying about what they’re doing, you should worry more about what you’re doing. Send your message out loud and clear. Embrace your brand. And empower your employees and customers to tell your story as proudly as you do.

Let folks look and judge. It doesn’t matter what they think. It doesn’t matter what they do. It should always be about you.

Your story. Your truth.