Authenticity is so important, yet so many of us sometimes stray from it.
In a world so dominated by media, where we often see the best parts of people’s lives and likewise want to show the best parts of our own lives, it’s easy to put up facades for the purpose of seeking validation from others.
Social media is often a major player in shaping people’s beliefs about what life should be like and even setting the bar for what we should achieve at certain points in our lives. I’ve been guilty of getting caught up in the chase for likes and views, wondering why some posts don’t get as much engagement as others.
The professional world is no different from the real world. People try to position themselves in a way that they feel will benefit others. The question is, should we change ourselves? In the business world, it’s easy for people to do what they need to do to get a role, a promotion, or an investment, and just like outside of work, it’s easy to fit in. At some point in my nearly 30-year life, I learned that it’s okay not to fit in. In fact, it’s better to stand out by being you, and if you don’t fit in with the group, the group isn’t right for you.
In the early days of starting PushFar, I set my goals around financials, with success ideologies around the value of the company. I really thought this was the dream. Then I realized, partly because of the pandemic and partly by stepping back and examining what I was building, that it was okay not to be the startup entrepreneur who did what was expected.
It was okay to not stick to the mold and do things differently. I chose to focus on profit, not revenue. And as it turned out, when fundraising and startup investments weren’t readily available in late 2022 and early 2023, all the VCs suddenly realized that what companies like PushFar were doing (keeping things lean and profitable with steady, achievable growth) was closer to what they wanted than what they had expected from their own investments in the previous decade.
Trying to pursue goals that are perceived as “right” can be exhausting, downright unachievable, and unachievable for many people. Authenticity should be encouraged because it embraces diverse perspectives and increases inclusivity, which is important in all walks of life. When it comes to entrepreneurship, authenticity is important to steer the business in the right direction for you. It allows you to build authentic relationships that align with your own values and will contribute positively to your future career. Being honest with yourself and others will bring you more joy in the long run than striving for what others perceive as success.