How To Build A Spiritually Alive Brand In A World That Wants You Silent
#09: Brand Schizophrenia and Dead Branding — How To Make Your Writing An Act Of Worship and Heal Your Identity Crisis
Peace, Legacy Makers —
Have you noticed how personal branding advice has become wildly complex? From “growth hacks” and multi-step funnels to AI-driven content machines, it feels like even if you have a marketing degree, you just can’t get started.
Yet despite all the noise, many value-driven writers—perhaps even you—still feel stuck, unheard, or out of alignment with their deepest convictions.
What if the solution isn’t another growth tactic but a return to the basics?
In this post, we’re stripping away the complexity to reveal two core failures that plague so many creators:
Brand Schizophrenia, where your daily life and your public brand pull you in opposite directions; and
Dead Branding, where your message lacks the spiritual heartbeat that turns work into purpose.
The Legendpreneur Model heals both. By anchoring your brand in self-expression, service, and social responsibility—not fleeting tactics—you reclaim your voice and transform writing into devotion.
What are you afraid to say? — that's the voice that will set you free
Let’s dive in.
1- Brand Schizophrenia — The Hidden Crisis That's Destroying Your Writing
One of the wonderful effects of starting a personal brand is the transformative and healing impact it can provide. When you express yourself publicly, you learn to face your fears and reflect the values that you hold. However, when you conceal your values, an internal conflict arises, putting you at risk of experiencing an identity crisis.
How to use your personal brand to avoid having an identity crisis?
An identity crisis (or Brand Schizophrenia) occurs when you conceal part of your values in an attempt to fit in, making you split from your true self.
It’s self-deception in disguise.
Like a blender turning vibrant fruits into grey mush—your brand loses power when you hide your “accent color.”
Your voice only shines when you reveal it.
My Brand Schizophrenia Story
My brand helped me stick to a personal project for 4 months straight; that’s a milestone for me.
My passion for writing doubled, and I felt a strong desire to write more.
Why?
Because my inner voice wasn’t fully out yet, I loved writing about spirituality, but I couldn’t find a way to express it here.
So, I started a second newsletter to channel my spiritual expression into a dedicated publication.
It felt awesome. But kept me more busy. Soon enough, I felt I was spending more time on my laptop than in nature. So, I decided to start sprinting.
As you would expect, my stress skyrocketed again because I tried to juggle 2 publications. I forgot that stress induces body inflammation and interrupts sleep so the body becomes prone to injury.
That’s what happened to me on my third day attempting to sprint.
This domino effect that started with me shutting off my inner calling burnt me out physically and mentally.
Do You Have Brand Schizophrenia?
If your personal brand doesn’t align with what you stand for then you are suffering from what I call Brand Schizophrenia
Here’s what it feels like:
Your personal brand and daily writing have stopped being enjoyable
Writing feels urgent, fearful, and joyless
Showing up is stressful and demotivating
You’ve lost work-life balance
You became your own annoying boss who doesn’t give you a break.
When value-driven writers can’t express their identity in their brand they risk having an identity crisis due to the mismatch between their values and their daily practice.
A) Social Framing, Institutional Training, and Fear of Judgement
Your accent color is the truth you feel most uncomfortable talking about publicly without fear of being judged.
I censored my authentic voice due to a) social framing and b) institutional training.
a) Social Framing:
How Islamophobia Shaped My Writing
Ten years ago, a scientist mocked believers, assuming I was an atheist too just because I’m a scientist. I stayed silent, while I shouldn’t have —letting Western stereotypes dilute my Islamic identity.
Notice when you soften your stance to fit others’ expectations. Ask: “Am I speaking my truth—or editing myself to match this room?”
Your voice thrives when you reject narratives that shrink your soul.
b) Institutional Training:
How Scientific and Corporate Training Censored My Voice
Institutional environments—whether in academia or corporate settings—often favor conformity over genuine conviction. I found myself learning to communicate more objectively and forgot to express my authenticity.
Identify rules that punish personal expression. Ask: “Does this system value my humanity—or just my output?” True power lies in honoring your perspective while navigating institutions.
We navigate life through challenges, and like pottery, we mold and reshape ourselves to fit society; for me, this process took 40 years, and only now am I starting to unlearn. Ask yourself the two questions above when you find it difficult to put your words on paper. This will help you take the first step in becoming aware of the censorship you have imposed on yourself.
B) Uncovering Your Voice: Courage Over Complexity
Finding your voice isn’t about solving a puzzle—it’s remembering who you were before the world labeled you.
After four months of writing:
I refine my voice daily.
I shed layers of borrowed identities.
The deeper the unlearning, the richer the reward.
Finding your voice is an act of courage, not complexity. It begins the moment you choose honesty over fear.
Finding your Voice over 40
The challenge? The older you are, the more shedding is required. Years of external influences and self-censorship create knots of false beliefs.
“The best time to start was 20 years ago. The next best is NOW."
Years of self-censorship create layers to unravel—but each layer shed brings you closer to your true self. The faster you remember who you truly are, the quicker you find your voice and begin your transformation.
C) The 4 Crucial Questions You Need to Answer To Find Your Authentic Voice
These 4 questions will tap into your deep consciousness and provide you with “Aha” moments as you discover your answers.
What makes you angry about the world?
What breaks your heart and makes you wish you could change it?
What transformational idea, philosophy, or product do you have that will solve the problem?
What truth are you eager to write about but most uncomfortable expressing publicly due to fear of being judged?
The intersection of these 4 questions sharpens your intentions and help you find you purpose and calling.
If you want to accelerate the path to finding your voice
I’m creating a masterclass for writers like you.
Help me shape it → Answer one question in the survey.
"What truth are you most afraid to share in your writing—and how has hiding it held your purpose hostage?"
Get rewarded → FREE access to the masterclass when we hit 100 responses.
2- Dead Branding: Spirituality isn’t optional
Why Your Words Don't Matter?
You have a Dead Brand if you feel:
Shouting into the void
Manipulative or unethical
Too neutral to matter
Without spirituality, work can’t become worship, and you won’t find your purpose.
When you forget to add the spiritual element to your brand by adding value and serving others, you miss a wonderful opportunity to make work become an act of worship. Brands without a philantropic spirit is dead.
A) I Got Laid Off When It Was Time To Give Back — What God Taught Me About Branding
When my Zakat payment came due—giving 2.5% to orphans and the community—I was laid off.
Logic said: "Save for your baby and rent." Spirit said: "Trust the divine economy."
I paid. Why?
Zakat isn’t charity—it’s social responsibility in motion.
Spirituality sees the bigger picture: Money is sacred when it serves.
B) Stop Creating A Soulless Brand — Why Spirituality Is The Missing Element
Forget mantras or meditation. True spirituality is:
Living as God intended
Being functional and faithful
Prioritizing sincerity over performance
God rewards integrity—not impressions. And it’s terrifyingly possible to build a brand that’s impressive on the outside… but empty in the sight of God.
I don’t want that. And I know you don’t either.
That’s why this brand isn’t about performance. It’s about expression.
C) Mary vs. Solomon: The Two Spiritual Paths To Building An Authentic Brand
The two icons, the Virgin Mary and King Solomon, led extremely different lives, yet both achieved the same success: spiritual awakening and God’s acceptance.
Mary’s prayers and Solomon’s trade were both acts of worship.
The common ground between both was that they both did it for the service of God and His people.
There are two paths to success in Islam:
The path of Maryam
Characteristics:
Feminine, isolated, inward, divinely prepared, misunderstood
The Virgin Mary expressed herself silently when she returned with her son to her town. She didn’t say a word; she pointed to the truth between her hands (her son), and he spoke out her truth. (فأشارت إليه)
A note on the paywall (and why this matters):
Substack intentionally promotes paid content to a wider audience. They do that because it’s more profitable — they get 10% of the paid subscriptions.
After 4 months of free posts (<100 views avg.), I’m testing if paid content reaches further. Why?
The reason I write is to reach as many people as possible and build a thriving community of value-driven writers and spiritual creatives who are navigating life beyond the 9-to-5.
Join our private circle to:
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Grow through honest conversations about your faith, branding, and purpose alignment.
Shape this movement from the ground up.
I still want my content to remain Approachable, Honest, and Centered on Value.
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The path of Sulayman:
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