Authenticity

I was watching an interesting talk the other day which got me thinking about authenticity, and why it’s important — both personally and in business.

The premise goes, we spend most days (if not every day) trying to impress other people. We change the way we act, the clothes that we wear, or the things that we do in order to get people to like us.
The problem with that however is that it’s not authentic. Sure, people may be initially drawn to you, but there’s no substance behind the lies you’re feeding them about yourself.

Ironically, if you sat down and asked your friends what you could do to make them like you more, they’d like come back and all say the same thing:

Just be yourself.

As humans we’re by definition very social creatures. Often, it’s easy to get lost in pretending to be things that we’re not in order to impress people we’ve never met.

The way we act says a significant amount about our selves as an individuals, as actions are our expressions of how we think and feel. If the way we act and the way we feel aren’t in tune, we’re not being authentic, and the likelihood is that you will attract a group of people — friends or customers — who just won’t get you.

It’s easy to see how this can affect social relationships, but what if we take a look at it from a business perspective. The bread and butter of most businesses are sales, and who are you selling to? Humans.

People are naturally drawn to people or businesses that are authentic and have the same beliefs and values as themselves. For example, Apple fanboys buy religiously from Apple, not because they are the best, but because they trust them, and they believe in the values Apple are selling.

When I first started freelancing I started under a company name — I wasn’t part of a company, but it gave potential clients the idea that I was bigger than just one person. In part, this was a lie. A lie borne out of a feeling of inadequacy of just being me.

A short while ago I realised that I it’s better to do honest and upfront business, not trying to misrepresent myself or my services. I dropped the company name, and have now switched to using my own name for all my freelance work.

I now go into all my meetings with clients honestly and openly. I want to help clients succeed and make great things, and I’m not ashamed of that.

For now,
Ciao.