Authenticity key to Business/ Personal success
- Ashleigh Terry
- Jul 10, 2017
- 3 min read
"I want to know where my money is going."
"Who am I really supporting?"
"I am so tired of politics."
"Why do they always have to complicate things?"
In this day and age of instant gratification, red tape, excellent technological advances in marketing and social media, the authentic approach is a breath of fresh air.
Authenticity is being yourself and not caring about what others think of you. i.e. Speaking from the heart.
Authenticity is not something we have or don't have. It is a practice of vulnerability, a conscious choice that we make everyday. This then builds confidence in showing who we are and being ourselves no matter who we are with. The choice to be seen, to be transparent and to act with integrity.
Have you often heard the phrase- 'It was an overnight success that took 10 years.'
A plumber goes to a customers house to fix a problem under the sink. It takes the plumber 10 minutes, he turns around and says "that will be $300 thanks". The customer looks at the plumber in shock and says "why on earth is it $300 it took you 10 minutes!"
To which the plumber said, "It took me 3 years of study, 4 years of performing this task daily and 1 year of perfecting my craft to be able to take 10 minutes."
Authenticity is a strict, dedicated approach to applying yourself to your craft, bettering yourself and learning more every single day.
To be truly successful in life and in business we must learn how to accept our strengths and our weaknesses. This understanding and compassion will then give way to accessing the strength of authenticity. When we act from a truly authentic place it resonates with those around us. We can drop our guard around people who are authentic.
We trust authentic people. We listen to those who have walked the walk, talked the talk. We trust those who use their own product that they are selling.
If you are able to be authentic in your life, relationships and business those connections actually become much stronger.
Questions to start you on the road to Authenticity
Why did you start your business?
What motivates you daily?
What do you do everyday and could you use your time better?
Was it a heart connection or was money the only factor? (Be honest)
How can you serve others for their greater good with your service or product?
Does your business align with your values?
Do you know what your values are?
What do you believe and are you willing to die for it?
What do you need to let go of to achieve your success?
How to be more Authentic
Step 1
Think about the last time someone asked you how you were. Did you tell them the truth or just say "Good." When someone asks you going forward I want to challenge you to tell them the truth. Trust yourself to be honest and received in your honesty even if your answer is "I just went through a divorce, it took me 3 hours to get out of bed this morning but I am proud of myself as yesterday it took me 3.5 hours to get out of bed."
Secondly if you feel like laughing in a board meeting, and it is appropriate laugh. This generally breaks the tension and releases energy allowing for a better connection in a very uniformed environment.
Step 2
Apply yourself to your craft, skill, business, study, exercise, diet. Apply yourself with the dedication and commitment of an Olympic Athlete. They didn't start out as Olympic Athletes. Let go of the procrastination and the distraction. Believe in yourself and your ability to get there. Walk the Walk.
Step 3
Step out of your comfort zone daily, this is a small practice that leads to bigger results. An example would be talk to the person next to you on the bus and tell them something real about you. (This is much harder the you think). Stop immediately apologising for yourself. As Australians we say "sorry" daily for things that may not have been our fault at all!
Step 4
Be patient, Authenticity is a dedicated daily practice of choosing yourself and what is real to you everyday. Showing the world who you truly are and building confidence by actions.
One day you will just wake up and recognise all of those little choices to be truly, authentically and vulnerably you have created a life you could have never imagined.
'If any man seeks for greatness, let him forget greatness and ask for truth, and he will find both.'- Horace Mann
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