You will be judged, so get over it!

We were born wired to judge. Anyone who says they don't judge misunderstands how the brain operates. Our brain - or what some scientists term - mental software - programmes or stores images and assigns value such that the next time it sees the image, you do what author Daniel Gilbert calls "Nexting".

"Nexting" is the process of predicting what's going to happen next once you have witnessed a circumstance, glanced over an image or when you have simply been introduced to someone.

Imagine how dull life would be if you went to a club and your brain wasn't programmed to "Next". You wouldn't know what to do when you saw the woman of your dreams.

Or, how boring would it be to sit in a movie theatre devoid of the capacity to unfold the plot. How debilitating would it be if our brains didn't warn us when that suspicious-looking character approached our car at the robot. Imagine if "Next" didn't exist in your mind.

Every day our brains are judging every image and scenario in order to gift us with the power of what could possibly occur next.

An unknown French Philosopher said: "When I enter a room, timeless truths enter along with me."

When you are a black African and you show up for an interview at the prescribed time, tardiness also enters with you. For a short blonde woman trying to become the president of South Africa, her timeless truths must be reckoned with if she stands a chance of becoming the most powerful citizen.

You must embrace judging as an integral part of the human experience. In fact, I've learned to enjoy people who judge my personal brand and me.

When your brand is packaged properly, "nexting" invites people to think about your potential, possible collaborations or how you could contribute to the well-being of their life.

Successful people turn this biological predisposition into a bastion of opportunity.

Although nexting can lead to misleading predictions, it doesn't stop the brain from needing to make these calculations. By anticipating the near future, your brain is simply trying to alert, inspire, reward and keep you on your toes. Therefore, the secret to leveraging the brain's desire to guess what's next is to remain authentic and project an attitude consistent with your values.

If you are consistently grouped into a stereotype that causes your stakeholders to "next" incorrectly, resist the urge to become bitter and build a personal brand that speaks to your hidden truths.

For more on personal branding, visit www.timothymaurice.com or e-mail me at info@timothymaurice.com