Written by: Michelle Clarke, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Authenticity is a word that is bandied about a lot these days in entrepreneurial and business worlds. Authentic messaging, authentic marketing, authentic offers, but what does that really mean? Let's explore.
As a soul-led entrepreneur, you will have a strong grasp on what authenticity is, you know who you are, what you want and what you are here to do. You have likely been told to tone it down, to play nice, to color inside the lines, but of course, you cannot, you are a maverick. As a maverick, you are only really comfortable in your skin when you are being authentic, but even for us, there are ways that we turn down the dial occasionally. Let's take a deep dive under the fluffy nod to authenticity and unearth the real story.
Authenticity is defined as being genuine, but are the people espousing the use of authenticity in business even aware of what they genuinely stand for, who they really are, or even what they really want? To be genuine is to be a one-off, and if we are one version at home, another with our friends and yet another in our businesses, then which one of those personas is the genuine article? We all have a base nature, core beliefs, and a purpose in this world, but we skirt around the edges of really, truely, expressing those things authentically because we are afraid.
We are afraid to offend others - but in truth, your style, your flavor, and your message is just right for the right people. You were never meant to be for everyone!
We are afraid to expose our true desires - but by unleashing our desires, we are able to call in what we desire. When you want something, you have to be brave enough to ask for it.
We are afraid to be our raw, gritty, messy selves - but showing our realness, our humanness, is what attracts people into our space.
When we truly, wholeheartedly share all of the raw, real, authentic sides of ourselves, that is when we become magnetic to the people we are here to serve. Yet even soul-led entrepreneurs can be tempted to tone it down on occasions, although never for long.
Are there places in your business offerings that you are toning it down? Are your messages being diluted in any way to fit into society's ideals and expectations? I know for myself, even though I operate at an authentic level, state what and who I am for (and not for), that I have to stay vigilant in my messaging and offerings to ensure my authentic self is front and centre.
We have marketing teams who try to steer our content in trending directions, we have business coaches who peddle ‘formulas’ and we copy writers who want to 'tidy up' messages to make them palatable to the masses, yet if you speak to the many you speak to none. So what is the temptation that seems to hook even us mavericks back into 'toning it down'? It is conditioning, it is collective fear, but when we acknowledge that, we shine a mirror on the shade and can avoid the traps. So today, dear fellow soul led entrepreneur, I invite you to examine your offers, messages, and ways of being in the world with these pertinent questions:
Who are you really for and what would you say to them if no one else was listening?
When you look under the covers, where have you turned down the dial to fit in recently?
What are the thoughts that are returning to your mind and soul over and over again that you are not releasing into the world?
You, dear soul-led entrepreneur, are here to change the world. You are here to do things in a whole new way, your way! So join me, please, in a collective eye-roll about pretend authenticity and let's show the rest of the business world what real authenticity is.
Michelle Clarke, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Michelle is an energy maverick, public speaker, author, and coach obsessed with empowering soul-led entrepreneurs to make more money doing only what they love. She says, "we have been led to believe that we must follow the normal way of doing things to succeed in business and life, but this just isn't true." She believes that the fastest road to success and living a hell yes life on your terms is to break free from the mold, unleash your true self, and sparkle like the leader you are born to be.
Michelle is committed to working with women, especially those who have a fear of being visible, feel anxiety about ‘making it’ in case they cannot cope with a booming business and other commitments, and also have deep-rooted fears around allowing money into their lives even though they desire it. Her work is deeply rooted in Outing Imposter Syndrome, Creating Success Structures, and Changing Your Relationship With Money. Michelle says, "The results of what I do lead to FREEDOM. Underneath it all, that is what my tribe seeks, the freedom to be real them, the time freedom, and the money freedom, and they get it!"
Michelle gets amazing results by helping soul-led entrepreneurs to dive into quantum energetics + success mindsets + powerful systems & then empowering them to show up as their truest version self to call in their soul clients magnetically.
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