“If they unsubscribe, they are NOT your tribe.” -Omi Bell
So, what does it mean to be authentic? People often ask me, "how real is too real" or "how much is too much to share on social media." If you are asking yourself these questions, it's likely that you have already been stung by the "someone may not like it" scorpion. Scorpions are typically calm unless they feel threatened. Being your authentic self could make someone else feel uncomfortable. Their level of comfort with your authenticity will cause them to have a "sting" response to you. If you experienced this while developing as a child, in business, or at work, you might feel that proverbial sting even when no one is saying anything.
Authenticity is about being true to yourself, your values, and your beliefs. It's about being honest and transparent and not trying to be someone you're not. I had been hesitant about texting the people on my text list because I did not want them to feel like I was annoying and then unsubscribe. Then it dawned on me that "if they unsubscribe, they are NOT your tribe." We watch other people on social media and set our bar for polish against who they are. However, authenticity is critical to building trust and credibility with your audience, which is essential to build a successful personal brand.
Don't build it like "they" are building it. Build it like YOU would build it. You are the unique vantage point. Your experiences, feelings, and thoughts are all a part of why people hire you, buy your product, follow you, and listen to you. So many more people are searching for people like you! authenticity is key to building trust and credibility with everyone you encounter. Remember, humans, hire humans. Humans fund humans. Humans grant opportunities to humans. It sounds counterintuitive to the days of being told to fit in. The truth is fitting in was the counterintuitive thing!