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How to Walk into a Room and Own It
👉 If you don’t define your brand, someone else will — and you might not like it.
Igor Lucic
July 16, 2025
Today’s word count: 767 words
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes 03 seconds
Your reputation is your shadow—it follows you everywhere.
In business, in friendships, in the quiet rooms where decisions get made about you—your reputation speaks long before you do.
This week, we dive into why your reputation is your most valuable asset, how to protect it, and how to build one that opens doors before you even knock.
___
Poll results from last week: From those who voted, 100% of you stated that you would like to have some extra content outside of this weekly newsletter. I’m so grateful to hear this!
That being said, things that are coming up are: more content per email, a decent-looking Instagram (I know it’s not the best at the moment lol), and… a podcast. This last one is already in the making 😉
Lets go!
Quote 1:
“If we do what we say we’ll do people will trust us.”
- Mike Novogratz (crypto investor and ex-hedge funder)
It sounds so simple — and it is.
Our words carry weight, and those who hear them often take them at face value. When it comes to reputation, keeping our word is one of the most powerful things we can do. So the next time you’re about to make a promise you know you can’t keep, think twice.
What will that do to your reputation?
Is that really the path you want to take?
Quote 2:
“I’m an entrepreneur and I live for the disruption.”
- TV Show ‘We Crashed’
First of all — amazing show! Highly recommend watching it.
For those who don’t know it, WeCrashed tells the full story of the rise and fall of WeWork, the co-working giant that started in New York and, for a time, took over the world.
The main character, Adam Neumann — the founder — is portrayed as a charismatic, wildly optimistic, and ultra-driven individual who relentlessly pushed toward his dream.
This quote from one of the episodes hit me hard.
Adam was extreme in both his personality and approach to business. He drew people in. He created an aura that made it feel like everything he touched turned to gold.
And here's the thing:
His team believed in him.
The public believed in him.
Most importantly, investors believed in him.
His reputation worked for him — opening doors and attracting money before negotiations even began.
He was closing unseen investments based on who he was, not just what he was selling.
Your reputation precedes you. Don’t underestimate its power.
Quote 3:
"Reputation is an armor. You must protect it with your life."
- Robert Greene (Author of book The 48 Laws of Power)
One of the top 5 books I have ever read in my life. I just wanted to get that out there.
This line hits especially hard because it captures the brutal truth about power and perception. In life and business, your reputation often walks into the room before you do.
It shapes how you're treated, what opportunities come your way, and who wants to be in your corner. Once damaged, it’s incredibly hard to restore.
That’s why protecting your reputation isn’t just smart — it’s survival.
On a personal note — When I was a teenager and my main focus outside of my athletic career was meeting girls, I read a lot about how to improve my game.
And yes — I even read that book with the same name. The guys would know what I’m talking about… haha.
One of the books introduced a really powerful approach: getting a friend to initiate the conversation for you.
This did two things at once:
First, the friend had way less pressure — it wasn’t really his game on the line, just a friendly opener.
Second, he’d casually start talking you up, indirectly raising your social value before you even stepped into the conversation.
In other words: your reputation walked in before you did.
Disclaimer: This only worked when executed well… and trust me, we had our fair share of failures too. 😅
Reputation 2.0 😅😅😅
Feeling like making moves? — What is your reputation?
Put yourself in the shoes of a stranger seeing you for the first time. On a piece of paper, write down what that stranger might think about you based on:
How you dress…
How you talk…
How you behave…
Please share in the comments on the Motivated AF webpage your experiences with this exercise »»» 💬
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Love you,
Igor
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