On Being Authentic {Kansas City Child Photographer}

I get lots of "inspiration" emails about business, marketing and life in general. Sometimes I dont read them, but I like the ones I get from Jeffrey Gitomer (he's a sales guru and makes a lot of sense for my business). So today he has an article from another guy, a motivational speaker named Mike Robbins....it is called Be Yourself, Everybody Else is Already Taken...catchy title, so I read it.

I'm going to post it here so everyone can read it...I think its a very powerful message...especially in my industry. I know that I am often criticized within my industry for being too "real" on my blog and in my day to day dealings with clients and other photographers. People think I should be less personal, more aloof, not let the world see my vulnerabilities, not admit "weakness", always appear "business-like" and tough. I always respond that I'm NOT always tough, things DO bug me, and I dont MIND my clients knowing what I think/feel/do in my personal life....I share my family, my rambling thoughts and my big hair from high school pictures....

I always thought maybe I was wrong....now I am postive I am just ME...and totally AUTHENTIC.

Be authentic...be yourself, b/c its true: everyone else IS already taken!

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Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken: The Power of Authenticity
By Mike Robbins

How often do you not say or do something because you’re worried about how it’ll be perceived? For most of us, myself included, this happens more often then we’d like to admit.

We live in a culture that is starving for authenticity. We want our leaders, our co-workers, our clients, our vendors, our family members, our friends, and everyone else we interact with to tell us the truth and to be themselves. Most important, we want to have the personal freedom and confidence to say, do, and be who we really are, without worrying so much about how we appear to others and what they might think or say about us. Sadly, however, even though we may say we want to live and work in a way that is real; most of us don’t and it’s not that easy, especially in today’s challenging times. We’ve been taught by our parents, teachers, spouses, friends, co-workers, bosses, sales managers, politicians, the media, and others, that it’s more important to be liked and get the job done than it is to be who we truly are. As sales people, we often feel a sense of pressure to say what we think the customer wants to hear or what we think will get us the business, whether or not it’s totally authentic.

However, as the famous 19th century author and poet Oscar Wilde so brilliantly stated, “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” What it Really Means to Be AuthenticAuthenticity is about having the freedom to be who we really are--ourselves, natural and without a mask in with our customers, co-workers, family, and friends, and also in our work and life. It takes courage, commitment, and depth to:

Tell the whole truth (even when we don’t want to or we mess something up)
Be vulnerable and real
Admit, own, and share our true thoughts, feelings, desires, insecurities, passions, and more.

However, being open and real about all of these things (and more) is what it means to be authentic. Authenticity is what has people trust us, want to do business with us, and count on us personally.

Five Principles for Being Your Authentic Self

In order to utilize the power of authenticity in your life and your work as a way to enhance your relationships, increase your success, and empower yourself, here are five key principles:

1) Know Yourself – Make a commitment to your own personal growth. Discover more of who you are. And, seek out and allow the support, honest feedback, and coaching of others.

2) Transform Your Fear – There’s nothing wrong with having fear, it’s the resistance and denial of fear that is the real problem. When you admit, own, feel, and express your fear, you have the ability to move through it, transform it, and utilize its power in a positive way. Taking action in the face of fear is courageous and empowering.

3) Express Yourself – Have the courage to speak your truth boldly, whether or not you think it is what the other person wants to hear. Deal with conflicts quickly and directly. Be vulnerable and real about what you think and how you feel. While on the surface you may worry that this will be seen as “weak,” in actuality expressing yourself completely gives you access to real freedom and power.

4) Be Bold – Live, speak, and act with courage, passion, and truth – even if it’s difficult or scary. Go for what you want in your work and in your life. And get back up when you fall down, which you will – especially in sales and especially these days.

5) Celebrate Who You Are – Appreciate and honor who you are, what you do, and the gifts and talents that you have. Celebrating yourself is not about being arrogant. It’s an awareness of your own power and it’s the key to self confidence, fulfillment, and authenticity.Being your authentic self in life (and specifically in sales) is not for the faint of heart, but once you’re willing to truly engage and do the work to become more real - your life and your business will be more fulfilling, rewarding, and successful!

Mike Robbins, CSP is a best-selling author, sought-after motivational keynote speaker, and success coach who works with Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, sales people, athletes, and groups and people of all kinds. He and his work have been featured on ABC News, in Forbes, and many others. To learn more about his new book, Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken (Hardcover, Wiley), and to receive free bonuses with your purchase of it from authors like Jack Canfield, Marci Shimoff, Jeffrey Gitomer, and many others, click on this link: http://www.BeYourselfBook.com