Oscar Wilde famously said, “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” But what does being yourself look like? We have all experienced the request to be authentic but that’s hard if you don’t know who you are. We live in a culture that asks our leaders, co-workers, friends and family to tell the truth of who they are, but this evokes fear in people because there is a hidden side to all of us, and we find it hard to express all of who we are for fear of judgment or rejection.
To be authentic we need to feel supported, we need to trust the people around us, and we need to believe that we are inherently good people, which we are. This is the journey we take throughout life as we discover who we really want to be. Many of us feel that it’s more important to be liked and fit in, than it is to be truly authentically you.
Many of us feel we are not good enough and so we hide from ourselves and each other. Being self-aware enough to have the confidence of your beliefs, values, passions and desires and to express them openly is the challenge for everyone, no matter who you are or what your role in life is. But it is important that we try to overcome the barriers that keep us from embracing “Be yourself”.
Being true to yourself takes courage to express your honest self, to communicate that with people who may or may not understand you, and demands a level of vulnerability that is hard but must be taken if we are to live a fulfilled and satisfied life. Are you ready for that?
Strategy 1
Read my latest article Why Is Self-Awareness So Important
95% of people would describe themselves as self-aware, and they would be wrong. According to a five-year study by Dr. Tasha Eurich, only 10-15% of the population actually know who they are and what matters to them. The benefits of self-awareness are significant. When you know who you are and understand your strengths, your weaknesses, and your blind spots, you’re more likely to take actions toward overcoming bad habits that undermine your success.
Strategy 2
Watch Tasha Eurich TedX talk on Self-Awareness
Dr. Tasha Eurich was born with a passion for business, pairing her scientific savvy in human behavior with a practical approach to solving business challenges. As an organizational psychologist, she’s helped thousands of leaders improve their effectiveness, from Fortune 500 executives to early-stage entrepreneurs. Her book, Insight, reveals the findings of a three-year research program on self-awareness, which she calls the meta-skill of the 21st century.
Strategy 3
Listen to my talk with Chris Baker on how our thinking changes our concept of who we are
In this broadcast I talk about how learning to communicate with other people more effectively and building your confidence levels will help you become the best version of yourself… Teenagers are taught what to think, not how to think and sadly the educational system undermines the fact that we should all be thinking for ourselves and stretching our comfort levels. Be curious and look for what is hiding in plain sight. You can create whatever world you want to create IF you believe that it is possible. Our future is not defined by who we are now and how/where we have grown up. Our future is ours to design.”We are all leaders of our own lives” – Jacqueline Wales
Strategy 4
Read Mike Robbins Be Yourself: Transform Your Life With Authenticity
Mike Robbins takes a hard look at what it takes to be authentic. How you can overcome the fear of being who you really want to be, and accept yourself without a mask, pretensions, bluff or fakery. He encourages you to confront some of your personal challenges with honesty and genuineness and shares powerful ideas, principles and practices that will help you become more authentically you!
Strategy 5
Reflect on Self-Awareness from my book The Fearless Factor @ Work
Take time to consider:
1. Who am I when I am at my best?
2. In what circumstances am I most myself?
3. Would I rather be right, or would I rather be understood?
4. How would I want to be treated if I shared my feelings?
5. Looking into the future, what kind of person do I want to be?
Thanks for reading.