I only have three tattoos.
For someone from Portland, Oregon, that’s practically a blank canvas. We’re arguably one of America’s most inked cities. Around here, three tattoos barely earns a loyalty punch card. But every one of mine means something, and the one I want to talk about is the gift I gave myself for my 60th birthday.
It’s a Chinese chop, for intention. The chop consists of two symbols that translate to “the sound your heart makes.” I didn’t know that when I was first drawn to it (or even before I got the tattoo!). I just knew I needed the word.
Why intention? Why then?
Oddly, at that time, my life had started to feel like it was happening to me. I was going wherever the water took me, drifting along, and something about that felt off. Sixty has a way of sharpening things. Especially because we carry such wonky beliefs about what that number is supposed to mean (or not mean). So, part of me wanted to buck the whole system.
There was something deeper: Neither of my parents aged very well, and watching that was heartbreaking. It left me quietly searching for a role model, someone who could show me what aging well actually looks like. I looked and looked. And I was having zero luck. One day it landed: That was my job. I needed to be my own role model. To do that, I had to stop drifting and start choosing.
That’s what intention does for me now. It helps me stop, take a breath, and remember. It helps me hear the sound my own heart makes.
Recently, I’ve been spending time with leaders. Working with them, one-on-one, on their personal brands. And my favorite questions have nothing to do with strategy. Who inspires you? What sparks your curiosity? Who do you intend to be? Not the version that matches your job description. Not the one that looks good on a slide. The real one. I’m not asking to build a clever tagline. I’m asking to help them remember their calling. That sound.
And then something cool happens. A bit of surprise. Almost every time, a flicker of “wait, this is about ME?” (I always get goosebumps.) Because the odds are good, they have never once asked themselves that question. Brilliant, accomplished people who have built entire careers, and somehow nobody ever invited them to listen to their own heart. That gap is exactly why I do this work.
Here’s my definition of a personal brand: it’s a mixture of intention, purpose, service, and mindset, all of it. It’s everything you are, everything you believe, and everything you do, quilted together. You don’t build that from the outside in. You build it by stopping for a moment, diving deep into all of it, and starting from there. That’s the work we do at SWAY. We stop. We go deep. We start from that truth. Your truth.
So, let me ask you the question I keep tattooed on my own skin.
What is the sound your heart makes?
Have you ever spent real time exploring that? Not the strategic answer. Not the one that fits neatly on your LinkedIn headline. The actual sound, the one only you can hear when you get quiet enough to listen. If you don’t know yet, that’s okay. It isn’t a failure, it’s an invitation. Because it is there.
Pull over before your next meeting, sit with it, and ask. Your heart is making a sound. Be intentional enough to hear it.
And if you want to do that work in a room full of people who get it, join us in Boulder.
SWAY | LIVE is August 2 to 4, and it’s three days of stopping, going deep, and remembering who you intend to be. And how all of that will actually help you in your “day J. O. B.”
I’m not going to oversell it. I’ll just tell you the truth: It will change your life. I promise.
FAQ
1. What does “the sound your heart makes” mean?
It’s a metaphor for your inner truth—your deeper intention, calling, and sense of who you are beneath roles, titles, and expectations.
2. How does intention shape a personal brand?
Intention helps you define your personal brand from the inside out. Instead of performing a version of yourself, you build your brand around your values, purpose, service, and mindset.
3. Why is self-reflection important for leaders?
Self-reflection helps leaders make clearer decisions, communicate more authentically, and align their work with who they truly intend to be.
4. How can I find my real personal brand?
Start by asking better questions: Who inspires you? What sparks your curiosity? Who do you intend to be? Your real personal brand begins with truth, not tactics.
5. What does it mean to stop drifting and start choosing?
It means becoming more intentional about your life and work—pausing long enough to listen, reflect, and make decisions aligned with your deeper values.