To be more accurate, it’s telling your truth.
Recently, I’ve been listening to Chris Do. He talks a lot about authenticity. Here is an excerpt from a talk he gave: “I want to know who the hell I’m supposed to be in this life, and I want to show up 100% as I am.”
Have you heard the quote by Oscar Wilde? “Be yourself; everyone else is taken.”
I like listening to Chris Do. He comes across as honest and he is good at telling his truth. This is how he has created his platform.
I’ve struggled to tell my truth. I’ve gotten so brainwashed and act in accordance with how I think other people want and need me to act.
I will always need to fit in. I will dress a certain way, comb my hair a certain way, and talk a certain way. I need to do this so people will want me around. But taken too far, you blend into the crowd and get lost. Then the opportunity to make an impact is lost.
Here is where authenticity comes in and speaking your truth. Let’s not say, “How do I reach the most people and get all these people to like what I have to say?” Let’s say, “How do I say what I need to say and reach the people who want to hear what I have to say.”
Seth Godin talks about the edges—The weirdos. The outliers. Kevin Kelly calls it the “1000 true fans.” These are the folks who are waiting for your words.
As a writer, I want to speak my truth. I don’t want to sound vanilla to appease a made-up audience. I want to speak directly to the people who will change (for the better) by my words.
I’ve written a weightlifting book called Leaner Stronger Simpler. I wasn’t fully honest in that book. There were things that needed to be said but I held back because I didn’t know how to say the thing that I wanted to say.
I’m writing a follow-up book. I hope to be more truthful in this version and say what I need to say.
I hope.
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