I felt compelled to write a blog about this very subject as this word is thrown out there a lot and for me I don’t actually have a problem with it at all. I love it ! It makes complete sense to me for us to be authentic in life and in business.
So what is this ‘A’ word?
Why is there so much talk of us having to be authentic and unique? Are they buzz words that people have jumped on because they sound cool and sell? Yes, in a way they are, for some people. How about the people who say to me – ‘Oh I can’t stand the word authentic’. They feel it’s false?! Oh everyone is using it and it then it becomes predictable and people who really aren’t authentic are using it !
People are fascinating. I just adore the whole discovery of people and what makes them tick and I have my own theories about why people use the word authentic and why some people hate it. Maybe the people who hate the word care too much about what other people think. Maybe they hate it because it could soon be deemed to be an ‘uncool’ word, and maybe they just don’t like it!
Isn’t it more important to let people use whatever words they want to express how they feel and think? Isn’t it more important to let people just be themselves. Be authentic.
We will never all agree and that’s ok, and actually that is what makes people fascinating, but here is the most important thing about this whole subject of being you and being unique and being authentic. It’s about being true to who you really are.
It’s about being ‘true you’
NEVER change for other people. If they are your tribe and if they are going to connect with you, they will do that because you are true and real. The fears around not living that true life are your own fears and that’s where you should focus. Not on what others think but why you are fearful of what others think of you. There is always work to do, but never change and never stop being authentic.
Why is this so important in life and business?
In life someone will connect with you because you possess core values that they associate with. Opinions that make sense to them, they see strengths that they admire and they trust you. Some of these parts of the connection take time to develop but they are all the bonds we make when we have a true connection with people. So what if you weren’t being true or the real you. What happens to those connections? They are very likely to break because at some point the real you will show and appear. Once this happens there is often no going back.
And yes of course as we grow and travel through this journey called life we will change, and that’s also ok. It’s when we pretend that we haven’t changed that challenges can occur.
That’s why we see relationships break down and trust is broken. Whether it is with friends, lovers, family, it doesn’t even have to involve blatant lies, but it’s more about the fact that you have lied to yourself. For me this is as bad as lying to others.
Are you being authentic?
In business and especially in sales being authentic is like sprinkling a little bit of magic. Here’s the advantages:-
You will be unique in how you present yourself because no-one else can be you
You will be true to your beliefs in how you run you business and offer your solutions
You will be consistent which builds trust
You will attract the ideal client, because they will understand your core values
You will be happy and the work you do will feed your soul
So this thing called authenticity, it can be complicated if you want it to be. It can be a word that triggers you because it actually feels unauthentic, if you want it to be. Whatever you think about the word it’s all about how you come into the world and your why.
Be authentic, be true you and trust that the people who connect with you will do so for that very reason.
There is more about this in my book ‘Live it Love it Sell it’ coming in September.
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Thanks for reading and have a great day!