Is there someone in your life who has never seen the real you, because they make you so self-conscious or insecure that you are never relaxed enough to let your guard down? Someone you consistently try to impress?
I recently discovered a person like this in my life. And once I’d figured out who they were, I asked myself a powerful question; a question that changed my entire perspective on our relationship. If you have a significant other, a friend or family member who you are hiding yourself from, consider this question:
“What will happen if I take off the fake and let this person see the real me?”
Maybe instead of coming up with an answer immediately, more questions have come to mind. Questions like: What if they don’t like me anymore? What if I stop getting their invitations or funny emails?
The answer to all of these questions is the same. The answer is that you will be just fine.
Maybe they’ll like the real you and keep inviting you to events. Maybe they won’t like you and that will be the end of your relationship. We can’t accurately predict how others will behave. But in either case, you will be just fine. If showing someone your true self makes them want to walk away, let them walk!
This willingness to show others our authentic selves also has significant power in our businesses. When we copy someone else’s site design because we think our customers will respond well or post blog content that contradicts the values that mean the most to us, we are setting ourselves up for failure.
If you have a personality-branded business in particular, your ideal client will most strongly relate to you when you are honest with them about who you really are, instead of creating an identity that mirrors your competitors or someone else you admire. The more your customers relate and connect to you, the more willing they will be to buy your products/services. So instead of trying to be as neutral as possible, let them see more of your personality or share a hobby you are passionate about. Not only will taking off the fake help you connect more powerfully with customers (and therefore improve your bottom line!), but removing the fake from our lives makes everything so much easier! If you always tell the truth, there’s nothing to remember.
Be brutally honest: Is there a bit of fake in the way you speak in your videos, the things you talk about on your blog, the conversations you join on Twitter, or the way you’ve written your sales copy? Go through your business with a fine toothed comb and ask yourself if there is an area that has started to grow some mouldy fake. If so, get the bleach out and feel the relief come over you as you scrub that funky fake away.
Let’s all stop lying to ourselves, our friends, family and certainly to our customers. Take off the fake. Trust me, it feels good!
About Author: Annika is a freelance writer for the past 3 years. She also assists entrepreneurs remove roadblocks so that they can watch their businesses flourish and the quality of their personal lives skyrocket. Beyond her passion for revving up small businesses, she holds a Masters of Business, Entrepreneurship & Technology from the University of Waterloo and graduated with Distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies.
Website: www.annikamartins.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/annikamartins
