Originality And Authenticity
Most people look and sound the same.
I’ve been hiring recently, and I noticed something interesting: most people reach out to me in the same way—using similar words, asking for the same things. Their resumes look alike too.
I remember that a few years ago, the problem was low quality. Now, the problem is that everyone looks the same.
People are playing the game. They say what others want to hear and behave how the algorithm prefers. But in doing so, they leave a lot of value on the table. What a shame, amigo!
I see the lack of originality—and more importantly, the lack of authenticity—as a real problem today. And nobody is talking about this.
Too much modeling. Too much scripting. Too many “how to sound smart” prompts. This leaves no room for people to act authentically or bring their unique value to life.
Brené Brown says it 100x better than I can: “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.”
People connect with people, not with perfection. If you want to connect with others, you must be genuine. Show your strengths, your story, your differences.
In today’s world, being authentic and being rare is a superpower.
And I get it. Being original is risky, especially when the entire industry is pushing us to perform and act a certain way to get rewarded (hired, promoted, etc.). But the cost of hiding who you are is even higher in the long run. It’s a fast track to burnout.
It takes guts to act as you are, to disagree with your boss, to be overlooked, to be wrong from time to time, to not play the game and to go against the grain when you feel it. But the world already has everyone else. It needs you now. Your originality and authenticity.
Nothing original ever came from someone who followed the crowd. And beyond that, regardless of whether you succeed or fail, you’ll never regret doing it your way.
Originality is how you stand out. Authenticity is how you stay sane.
