It’s truly difficult to be anyone other than who you are, but we try so hard to be someone else. Someone better. Someone wiser. Someone more poised. Someone more………….acceptable. What’s interesting is that sometimes that person you are trying so hard to emulate is trying really hard to emulate someone else!
Is it wrong or bad to have a role model and strive to pattern yourself after someone who has achieved the success you want? No. At some point, however, you need to take the training wheels off and ride free.
How do I do that, you ask…
First, decide what you want to do to earn a living. Make sure that it’s something that you do well, love to do and is something that someone is willing to pay you to do. This is the most difficult part because it will not happen overnight and those closest to you will try to talk you out of it. Be courageous and decide for yourself. Most importantly (and here is where authenticity comes in), be unapologetic about it. It’s your lifestyle and it should be what you want. Once you make this decision you can assess where you are and what it will take to get from where you are to where you want to be.
Second, take stock of your resources. You can only move forward with what you have and what you know. Can you begin making money with what you have and what you know or do you need training or certifications? Focus on the one thing that you need to begin generating income. If you are striving to become the best in the world at doing what you love, you will have the confidence to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes because you will be enjoying every challenging step of the way.
Third, once you have taken control of your ability to earn by doing something that you find fulfilling, you will wake up every day authentically being the best you that you can be.
Caution: Accept the fact that not everyone will be happy with you…and that’s okay. Navigate and gravitate to the people who make you smile. Some people will exit your life (let them) and others will enter your life (let them).
Over time, you will find yourself spending more time with people who make you smile and less time with people who don’t…and you will be doing it in all of your authenticity.
