Aura Farming, the Personna Way
- Sophia Chin
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Performance Isn’t Fake — It’s How Trust Begins
“Aura farming” almost became the BBC Word of the Year (“rage bait” won).
I’m not surprised. We live in a world where everyone is subtly performing. And honestly? Performance is not the enemy.
Performance is how we declare the leader we want to become. It’s how we practise courage before we actually feel courageous. It’s how we rehearse a new role until it becomes second nature.
Every Leader Performs
We perform every day — in conversations, meetings, presentations — especially when the stakes feel impossibly high.
The question isn’t whether you’re putting up a performance. The real question is: Are you performing a façade? Or are you performing your truth?
Treat it like a performance. Sparkle like you mean it.
The problem isn’t performance itself. The problem is performance without authenticity. Performance that hides you is false. Performance that reveals you is powerful.
If You're Looking for a Big Change in 2026
If you're hoping 2026 will be different — a promotion, a new challenge, elevated leadership presence, starting your own business — this is the foundation.
Because here’s the truth: You don’t wait to be promoted and then operate at the next level. You get promoted because you’re already operating at that level.
You know that saying: “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have”? It's not about clothes. It’s about identity. It means:
Speaking at the level you want.
Thinking at the level you want.
Prioritising at the level you want.
Making decisions at the altitude of the role you aspire to.
Your Personal Impact Card clarifies that next-level identity, so you can start showing up as that leader now, not someday. You’re not waiting for a promotion to give you permission. You give yourself the permission.
If 2026 is your year of elevation, this is the work.
Personal Impact Card: Where Real Leadership Aura Comes From
Most people think aura comes from boldness, charisma and ambition. They assume you're born with it. But real leadership aura — the kind others feel instantly — comes from intentional alignment.
And alignment happens when the four dimensions of Personal Impact work together.
We've come across great leaders who make effective leadership look natural and effortless - like they are gliding through work. But gliding isn’t about zero effort. Gliding is zero resistance.
You can absolutely work with ease, precision and power, but only when all your attention is focused in the same direction. Right now, most leaders feel like their attention is being pulled in a million directions.
"When you commit to nothing, you'll be distracted by everything." - James Clear
The solution is not to work harder. It’s about working smarter, and that means being aligned and intentional about your impact.
Why This Work Feels So Hard
Strategic clarity and leadership presence sound inspiring in theory. But when you sit down to do the work?
A blank page asks confronting questions:
What’s your leadership edge?
Who are you now?
Who are you becoming?
Are you ready to claim it clearly and confidently?
Are you ready to let go?
These are not quick questions. They are deep identity questions. And identity work takes courage, honesty and time.
Year-end is actually the perfect moment to do this work — yet most leaders never slow down long enough. They postpone it, waiting for January “when things calm down.” (They never do.)
This is exactly why we built the Impact OS.
The Impact OS: A Decade of Work, Now Digitised
For more than 10 years, we’ve helped leaders articulate who they are at their best, define strategic impact and align personal vision with organisational outcomes.
We’ve done this for CEOs, country heads, directors, founders — even royalty. Thousands of leaders, across industries and regions.
And now, for the first time, that decade of craft lives inside a digital system.
No more blank pages. No more paralysis. No more “Where do I start?”
With the Impact OS, you answer four simple questions and the system generates ideas drawn from coaching, behavioural psychology, leadership strategy and personal impact consulting.
Human-led. Platform-based. Powered by AI.
You don’t need to be a strategist. You don’t need to be a writer. You don’t need to come up with the perfect words.
You just click. And clarity begins.
👉 Click here to create your 2026 Personal Impact Card — free until 31 December 2025.
It’s the closest thing to having us in the room with you — except now it’s on demand.
6 Ways to Use Your Personal Impact Card Today
Set up your most powerful year yet in 2026.
These are real patterns from A-player leaders operating in high-stakes environments across tech, banking and media. Apply what resonates immediately.
1. Step into the identity of the leader you want to become
Use your Personal Impact Card to practise your 2026 presence now in small, visible ways.
At year-end gatherings, introduce yourself by impact, not title.
Say the strategic truth you’ve been softening.
In cross-functional meetings, voice your POV early instead of waiting for permission.
Identity shifts through micro-moments.
2. Let go of old ways of working
This is leadership housekeeping — and it’s transformational.
Step out of the “hero” complex and start delegating with boundaries.
Stop being the unofficial emotional buffer if it costs your strategic edge.
Let go of “reliable executor” and step into “orchestrator of outcomes.”
Your Personal Impact Card makes this transition clear.
3. Establish micro-habits that reinforce your leadership promise
High performers think they need a dramatic reinvention in January. But the leaders who win start small now.
Reach out to a key stakeholder this week.
Post a 1-sentence LinkedIn reflection per week.
Have 1 meaningful conversation a day. Make it the most energising 30 minutes of the day for both of you.
Micro-habits → rhythms → identity → impact.
4. Protect thinking time
Leaders are paid for strategic thinking. Yet spend 95% of the week reacting.
Guard a weekly 60–90 minute strategy window.
Review your Impact Card: “Where was I aligned? Where was I scattered?”
Identify one transformation insight each week.
Compare your 2026 priorities with your calendar (it’s illuminating).
Thinking time is leverage.
5. Strategic rest
Stress + Rest = Growth. Most leaders forget the second half of that equation.
Take a real holiday.
Say no to weekend crisis clean-ups unless truly critical.
Replenish with reading, journaling, cooking, art, sun, ocean and connection.
You cannot lead powerfully if you’re depleted.
6. Celebrate your progress (yes, really)
High-achieving leaders are terrible at this. They skip straight to the next milestone and never acknowledge the growth.
List 10 wins — visible outcomes + invisible evolution.
Acknowledge your team members for a job well done. Be specific.
Fully embrace affirming feedback from your manager - let it sink in.
Celebration is data. It tells you what to amplify in 2026.
For 2026 and Beyond
As you step into the new year, don’t sparkle to perform a version of you. Sparkle to reveal the truest version of you. Click here to create your 2026 Personal Impact Card now.
Aura farming tries to manufacture a vibe. But when you're aligned? You don’t farm an aura. You radiate one.
If you’re serious about levelling up in 2026, consider executive coaching.
High-performing leaders don’t rely on willpower to scale impact. They set a powerful intention and build a support structure around themselves.
Coaching gives you strategic clarity, accountability and the kind of honest feedback no one else in the organisation can give you. It’s not indulgent. It’s ROI.
If you’re intentional about a step-change, coaching is the smartest move you can make.
If you're navigating big shifts and want to move faster with less friction, drop me a note. I'd love to hear what you're working on: sophia@personna.me
At Personna, we believe that impact isn’t accidental — it’s intentional, strategic and deeply personal.
Since 2010, we’ve been working with high-performing leaders and teams through executive coaching, team workshops and targeted change & culture consulting to identify where you contribute most powerfully — to create outcomes that matter both for your organisation and your career.
Comments