Writing a Timeless Bio

What does our bio say about us?

Almost every site we visit today with profiles has bios. LinkedIn, AngelList, Twitter, or even a speaker bio for an event. Bios are short descriptions of our lives, often highlighting our work, relationships, and interests.

I recently published my first book, Who We Know, and found myself struggling to complete a particular task: writing my bio. The problem was that my publisher pushed for me to write a “timeless” introduction about myself rather than a snapshot of what I did professionally.

What if you had to write a bio that would be true two or five years from now? What would you write?

Too many bios define “what” we do.

Typical bios today are reflections of our current work association, accomplishments, and call-to-actions that drive engagement.

Timeless bios speak more about who we are than what we do.

Maybe you’ll start a company that changes the world; maybe your current company will be acquired by something big; maybe you’ll fall into obscurity. But whatever happens, your bio should be able to stand on its own as an introduction to who you are, regardless of time.

Think about your bio as a fluid expression, not a concrete statement.

Even when we know what the expectation is it can be difficult to write about yourself. Approach your bio with the following sections:

• Your name (easy enough)

• Your north star (what are you working towards? what do you value?)

• Your biggest accomplishments (what are you most proud of?)

• Your unique closer (a statement summing up who you are)

The common denominator in each of the above sections is that they are agnostic of time. Think of this as your introduction, it stays true no matter where you work or what your title is.

You’re not alone in the quest to write a compelling bio. As one of the first things seen by other people, it can influence how others engage with us.

Use the tips above to write your own timeless bio and confidently share who you really are!