Ever been given the advice "Just be Yourself"?

Me too, and I have said the same words to people to. But "Just Be Yourself" isnt very helpful all by itself so I want to take a deeper look at it. Just Be Yourself is the twin sister of Authenticity, which is just another word so lets explore this idea and how it can improve your leadership skills and accelerate your career. Whether you're in construction or any other industry, the principles we discuss are universal. So, let’s get started! 

⛏️⛏️⛏️The Power of Authenticity

To break it down, being yourself means making decisions based on your values and beliefs rather than the perceived opinions of others. It means sharing the dirty details behind your successes and failures. Here’s why this is crucial for your leadership journey:

 ⛏️⛏️ Authentic Decision-Making

1. **Clarity and Focus**: Making decisions that align with the things that are important to you provides clarity. You'll spend less time second-guessing yourself and more time taking decisive actions.

2. **Confidence**: When your actions are rooted in your personal values, you're naturally more confident. This confidence inspires others and reinforces your role as a leader.

⛏️⛏️⛏️ Handling Doubts and Fears

Throughout my career, especially when kicking off The Learnings and Missteps Podcast, I've found myself questioning what others might think. Here's the kicker: you can't control people's thoughts. However, worrying about them consumes valuable energy that would be better spent serving others.

⛏️⛏️  Practical Steps to Being Yourself

1. **Understand Your Motivations**

•     Define Your Purpose: Ask yourself, "How do I best serve?" and "What brings me fulfillment?" These questions anchor your actions and decisions in your genuine desires.
•     Set Personal Goals: Align your objectives with your intrinsic motivations, rather than the expectations of people that aint doing your life.

2. **Take Consistent Action**

•     Get the Reps In: Like any skill, authenticity improves with practice. Each effort helps you refine your approach and boosts your confidence.
•     Embrace Imperfection: Perfectionism keeps you from getting better. Instead of striving for flawlessness, focus on continuous improvement and improve with every rep.

⛏️⛏️⛏️ The Feedback Loop

Receiving feedback is inevitable. Whether it's verbal comments or subtle cues like body language, feedback can sometimes hurt, especially when you've made significant efforts to play the role written by somebody else. But, by being true to yourself:

• You Build Resilience: Authenticity allows you to accept and apply the right feedback, without it derailing your self-esteem.
• You Gain Insight: Honest feedback provides insights that are more valuable than praise. Use it to refine and grow and filter out what doesnt matter.

⛏️⛏️ Creating Your Own Narrative

You have the power to craft your own story. I realized that the scenarios I imagined were often far worse than reality. Recognize the potential positive outcomes and let them guide your actions.

1. **Visualize Positivity**: Picture the best-case scenario. This sets a positive tone and helps you approach tasks with enthusiasm.
2. **Acknowledge Your Strengths**: List your strengths and achievements to remind yourself of your capabilities and potential.

⛏️⛏️⛏️ Conclusion: Embrace Your Unique Path

Not everyone will resonate with your style, and that’s perfectly okay. Sharing the dirty details means some people won't choose you, but those who do will appreciate you for who you truly are. It's about connecting with the audience that values your genuine contributions.

⛏️⛏️ Reflect and Act

• Self-Reflection: Spend some time with yourself, reflect on how you best serve others, get clear about what is bringing you Joy and Fulfillment.
• Take Action: The things that are obvious to you are not obvious to others. Take action on what you see and observe the positive impact you have on the people around you.

By embracing these principles, you can foster an impactful and fulfilling career.

If you want to see what sharing the dirty details look like check out "Becoming the Promise You Are Intended to Be". 

 Be cool and we'll talk at you next time.