The word authentic is used A LOT! And while it’s pretty important to me to always be myself, no matter where I am or what I’m doing, sometimes it can be hard to be your authentic self when you’re trying to build a personal brand. The reason for this is that UX designers who have taken the time to build a personal brand will attract more business and/or career opportunities as they are seen as more trustworthy and credible.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that everywhere you look online, there are industry experts touting that the best way to build your brand is to be authentic. While I agree that authenticity is important to building connection, it can be hard sometimes to know how much is too much to share in the digital sphere.
Do they want to know where you went on vacation?
Or…do you stick to only work related content?
But what is also clear is the more authentic you are, the more you open yourself up to criticism and scrutiny.
Welcome to 2024!
That’s just the way it is these days.
You WILL get criticized online if you have an opinion.
One great piece of advice I heard from Brené Brown and I’m paraphrasing, “Don’t listen to anyone unless they are in the arena getting their butt kicked.” In other words, unless they are being as vulnerable and authentic as you are, while getting picked apart, criticized, or laughed at, then they aren’t worth listening to.
Seems to me this is really about overcoming your fear and being brave rather than just not listening to someone. This is about saying what you have to say, even if you get picked apart, criticized, or laughed at.
What I’ve learned is that each time you’re brave, you gain more courage.
So my question to you is, “Are you going to continue to step out there and be yourself — braving it all so you can build a personal brand?”
Why does this matter again?
Right, because we’re trying to build a brand that’s aligned with who we are and what we care about! I kinda even hate saying that. People are not brands. People are humans and we are nuanced. And truth is, sticks and stones DO break our bones and words DO hurt us.
But I’m going to advise you to show up anyway because you deserve to be seen and heard. I want you to be daring and courageous! Share what you know, what you stand for, what you’re working on, what perspective you have, what you don’t like about your industry, what you want to change. The key here is to keep your WHY front and center so you don’t get off course.
While being authentic may be great for your business, career, or brand, it doesn’t mean that sometimes you won’t want to do it. It can get exhausting. Some days it may seem unsustainable. The key to your sanity and mental well-being is to know when to pause and step away from all the noise. Content creation is exhausting. Be willing to say enough is enough when you’ve hit your authenticity capacity. Only come back when you’re fully recharged your batteries or not at all. There are so many other ways to share your gifts and create a personal brand.
Lastly, being authentic is ultimately about YOU and your journey. And even though it can be wrought with contradictions about how much to say, how it should be said, and even where to say it. At the end of the day, it’s just about you being you.
Would love to hear your thoughts on the topic: Do you struggle sometimes with being authentic? How has being authentic impacted your brand? I guess I’m asking, “Is it worth it?”