Kill your darlings is an old bit of writing advice that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. There is some debate about who said it first, but the quote has been attributed to a diverse collection of authors, including Ginsberg, Faulkner, and King. The essence of the advice is that sometimes you have to let go of your most precious and self-indulgent creations for the greater good of your literary work.
The phrase is a reminder to ruthlessly edit yourself. To cut the things that don’t serve your overall brand and message no matter how much you may personally love them. We are currently working in the background to clarify and refresh the Launching Your Success brand and I have had to kill a few of my own darlings.
My darlings: • Taglines that only meant something to me • Puns and jokes that were more confusing than clever • Superhero themes (this was especially painful – I love comics!)
It hurts! Some of these items felt very personal to my journey as a business owner and it was difficult to let go of them. But they weren’t serving my brand the way I wanted them to, and it was time to say goodbye. I know in the end it will be worth it. I’m already starting to see a focus and clarity that has been missing, and I can’t wait to share it with the world.
I challenge you to kill a few darlings of your own. What do you need to let go of so your brand can move forward?