Today I wanted to write about the power of being authentic. These are wild times. AI is increasing everywhere, and social media already had a strong hold on creating an environment where people only put their best highlights out there.
For these reasons alone, I would have been able to talk for hours about how now more than ever it’s absolutely critical to be yourself. Be authentic, and real, because people out there are hungry for it. Whether it’s in your career or business, at home, or in social circles (including social media), authenticity is a super power.
Here’s an example. In the professional world, where I do some part-time consulting, I’m seeing how prolific AI has already become. Everyone’s using it. I’m not opposed, by the way, and I personally use it to edit my blog posts for grammar and formatting, and occasionally create images that fit the topic. I promise I write everything myself though.
There’s nothing wrong with using AI to leverage yourself, and get more done in less time. However, in just a short time it’s gotten abused… badly. People who don’t care to think for themselves, or take the time to be creative, are outsourcing their writing and creativity to it, and it shows.
The AI Deluge That’s Amplifying the Power of Being Authentic
I read that within a period of months Amazon self-publishing added 38 million new titles which were AI generated. I was shocked! That’s incredible, and very sad. If you took the time to write something creative and human, you’re now buried under a pile of AI generated trash. However, I don’t think all is lost. What I’m seeing now, very clearly, is that people are already sick of it. The garbage on YouTube, LinkedIn, and the internet in general is voluminous.
And for that simple reason, humans are pushing back. They’re already demanding information from human sources. I see it reflected in content now where people are stating specifically that it’s human generated. iHeart Radio has a sweeper that says “guaranteed human”. YouTube influencers are stating that the video you see them talking in is real and not AI generated. And don’t get me started on LinkedIn where frankly it’s just obvious who’s using AI and who isn’t.
The Power of Being Authentic in Action – Example
So I follow this woman who is my age on YouTube: you can visit her channel here. She’s utterly amazing. Why? Because she’s so real it blows me away, every single video I watch of hers. Her struggles, her successes, her life, all out there on display. It’s remarkable, and for that reason, people are flocking to her channel.
Time and time again I’ve found, as this woman is discovering, that people are drawn to authentic people. People who aren’t afraid to speak their truth, share their struggles, and just be honest, open, and real. And right now, because of the deluge of AI crap proliferating everything, people are gobbling it up.
The Power of Being Authentic in Business
Professionally, I tell business owners to stop trying to win people over with fancy posts, content campaigns, and the like. Instead, I suggest that they reach out to their personal networks again. Friends, customers past and present, former colleagues, and others in the same industry as them, or possibly in an industry adjacent field. Just connect again, honestly, humanly. People want it. And guess what? It’s working, across the board. Everyone I’ve suggested it to is having significant results.
The secondary benefit to the power of being authentic is that it’s good for your mental health. I see people struggle for years trying to play a role which doesn’t align with who they really are. They wear a suit and tie to an office when they really want to be swinging a hammer building custom furniture. Or they capitulate to a partner or spouse who wants to go out all the time when they really would rather stay home and read a book. Don’t get me wrong, compromise is good, but you have to honor yourself as well or it isn’t good for you.
Shakespeare famously said:
To thine own self be true.
The Way of Integrity
There’s an absolutely incredible book by Martha Beck named “The Way of Integrity” which is about this concept. I summarized the book for myself, and carry it around with me as a reminder when I think I’m drifting away from my true north. Here’s that summary in 3 simple steps:
- Tune into your inner teacher
- Ask yourself: If I were absolutely free, what would I do right now?
- Do it.
- Optional: ask yourself why you aren’t doing that thing.
- List all the obstacles.
- Trace each obstacle to the limiting belief under it.
- Question them for falsehoods.
Support for Your Journey
Now I understand that this process outlined applies specifically to “doing” actions. But you can easily apply it to saying, believing, feeling, thinking, inquiring, etc. The point is, be true to yourself, and share that true self with others in everything you do.
If you’re struggling to find the power of being authentic, tell me about it. I don’t get it right 100% of the time either. But I’d sure love to support you if I can.