The Identity Wobble™: What Every Leader Feels Before a Major Personal Brand Breakthrough

Dec 3

Why every evolving leader feels it — and why it means you’re closer than you think.

There’s a moment in every leader’s personal brand evolution that almost no one talks about — because on the surface, it looks like hesitation, doubt, second-guessing, or “wanting to make last-minute changes.”

But underneath, something much bigger is happening.

I call it The Identity Wobble™.

And if you’re experiencing it right now — you’re not failing, you’re not confused, and you’re definitely not going backwards.

You’re expanding.

What Is The Identity Wobble™?

It’s the exact moment when your next-level identity is trying to land —
but your old identity is still trying to hold on.

This shows up as questions like:

“Is this really me?”
“Should I change this direction?”
“Do I have a strong enough message?”
“What if I’m not ready?”
“What will people think when I show up this way?”
“Maybe I should revisit everything before I go any further…”

If any of these sound familiar, congratulations —
you’re in the middle of the most important part of the process.

The wobble doesn’t mean something is wrong.
It means something is working.

Why Leaders Experience the Wobble

1. Visibility Activates Old Fear

Stepping into thought leadership — speaking more boldly, posting more consistently, owning your expertise — activates the deepest human fears:

Fear of judgment.
Fear of rejection.
Fear of not being enough.
Fear of being too much.

Your personal brand puts you face-to-face with yourself,
and that’s confronting… even for the strongest leaders.

2. You’re in the “Clarity Before Confidence” Gap

Leaders often think confidence comes first
and clarity follows.

But true confidence is a result, not a requirement.

Clarity → Action → Embodiment → Confidence.

The wobble exists in the gap between clarity and embodiment —
between seeing who you’re becoming and actually becoming it.

3. You’re Letting Go of an Old Identity

This is the real root of it.

You’re releasing:

old positioning
old patterns
old language
old expectations
old ways you’ve kept yourself small

And you’re stepping into:

a more expressed voice
a bolder presence
a clearer identity
a truer story

Letting go destabilizes you just long enough
for the new version to settle in.

4. Your Nervous System Gets Activated Right Before the Breakthrough

Every leader experiences a spike of doubt right before the finish line —
right before making their message public,
right before showing up more visibly,
right before sharing something bigger.

Your brain equates visibility with vulnerability.
So it tries to pull you back into safety.

The wobble is that tug-of-war.

What the Wobble Looks Like (In Real Life)

Leaders describe it as:

wanting to change your message or voice
overthinking decisions you loved yesterday
shrinking back from visibility
delaying posting or sharing
wanting to scrap things that are actually amazing
reworking, rewriting, or rethinking everything
feeling the urge to “wait until it’s perfect”
spiraling into small details

If you’re nodding:
you’re not behind.

You’re becoming.

My Role as Your Fractional CBO During This Phase

This is where leadership and identity collide —
and where my work with clients usually becomes the most powerful.

My role is to:

✔ Normalize this stage
✔ Anchor you back into your strategy and truth
✔ Help you regulate your nervous system around visibility
✔ Keep you on track to prevent backtracking
✔ Hold the through-line when your inner critic gets loud
✔ Guide you into the identity you’re stepping into — not the one you’re leaving
✔ Make sure your personal brand reflects who you truly are

I’m not here to react to fear.
I’m here to guide you through it
so your brand reflects your highest identity, not your most anxious one.

Your Role as the Leader

Your job is simple — but not always easy:

✔ Stay open
✔ Trust the process
✔ Keep leaning forward
✔ Let the discomfort be part of the evolution
✔ Stay committed to the version of you we’re building toward

You don’t need to fix, rewrite, reframe, or rework.

You just need to keep going.

This is the moment most leaders quit —
and the moment successful leaders push through.

What Happens After the Wobble

This is the best part.

After the wobble comes:

✔ Breakthrough clarity
✔ Embodied confidence
✔ Recognition of your own voice
✔ Alignment between who you are and how you show up
✔ A personal brand that feels like home
✔ A presence that attracts the right opportunities
✔ Momentum that finally feels sustainable

This is when clients say to me:
“Oh. This is who I am now.”

And from there, visibility becomes natural — not forced.

If You’re In the Wobble Right Now…

Breathe.

This isn’t a setback.

It’s a threshold.

You’re not unraveling —
you’re rearranging into someone more aligned, more present,
and more grounded in your leadership.

The Identity Wobble™ isn’t the thing to avoid.
It’s the thing to move through.
And you don't have to navigate it alone.

This is the work I do every day.
This is why leaders hire me.

Because your next-level identity deserves a steward —
not just a designer, strategist, or consultant.
A guide who sees the bigger picture even when your doubt tries to blur it.

And if you're reading this…
that means you’re already closer to your expansion than you think.

If you want support navigating the Identity Wobble™ and stepping into your next-level personal brand with clarity, confidence, and leadership — you can schedule a private conversation with me anytime.

Your identity is becoming.
I’d love to help you meet her.

Much Love,