The Fight for Freedom Found in Authenticity

Have you ever felt pressured to be someone you're not? To act differently than you naturally would. This happens often in business where putting on a “game face,” or a professional voice has been widely normalized but I believe that being authentic helps us become the best version of ourselves. I was once given a piece of advice by my pastor’s wife that has stuck with me for over 25 years. She said, “Just be you, don’t try to be someone else.” The simplicity of the statement has given me freedom to be who God created me to be. This has been reflected in my business practices, the way our office operates and in my team interactions. Who I am has been shaped by my mentors, but her statement has reminded me to pursue authenticity daily.

The world is starving for authenticity. Business owners are starving to work with people who are authentic. In fact, I can say from experience that people are willing to pay more money to work with people who are authentic, and that they trust. There can be a very strong pull to act or behave like someone else that has had success. 

There are multitudes of podcasts, masterclasses and seminars that attempt to mold businesspeople into a “success” prototype. These are based off one individual’s method for success. I don’t see a problem with learning valuable principles but when a person’s authenticity starts to get stripped in favor of success, I believe it is a mistake and that it will be hard to sustain for a longer period. There is always a pull to be like somebody else, especially if you want to see the same results that they have had but let me remind you, rarely do we see the whole picture of someone’s life.

A deep truth that has enabled me to embrace my authentic self is that God made me unique. I was created a “one of a kind” and so were you. I am also confident that God put within me everything I need to fulfil his purpose for my life. Any effort on my part to be like someone else undermines the way God chose to make me. There is a nice illustration of this found in 1 Samuel. The story of David and Goliath is iconic and a source of inspiration for many, however it also demonstrates the power of being confident in the unique abilities God has blessed you with. King Saul believed that to be successful he should look like the warrior that He was and brought him success, but David knew his own identity and was strong in the gifts God had equipped him with:

…David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”

³³ “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.”…

³⁸ Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. ³⁹ David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before.

“I can’t go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off again. ⁴⁰ He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:33, 38-40 NLT

The temptation to emulate successful leaders is very real and, in some part, can be helpful. However, understanding your unique qualities and gifts are crucial to your success. The confidence to be authentic at work has come because of spending time in prayer. It’s the place where I spend time with my creator and has become a great source of strength for everything I do. Embrace your authenticity and find strength and freedom.