Words & Melody

(Original post date: September 13, 2011)

After reading Friday’s NY Times article, ‘Authentic? Get Real’ I feel the need to address an issue I call Authentic Rhetoric.

Authentic Rhetoric, as I see it, is the effective use of terminology related to ‘authenticity’ and being ‘real’ or ‘authentic’ in order to gain trust and respect, often with a hidden and inauthentic agenda. Truly authentic people don’t feel the need to describe themselves as such because they are too busy effortlessly being themselves to waste time worrying whether or not anyone is judging them.

Authenticity vs. Persona

Authenticity is the journey into the mystery of who we are. Tapping into our intuitive genius. More emphasis is placed on internal validation versus external. Those who take the path of least resistance become who they are told to become, while those who hold their own (literally) live more satisfying and meaningful lives. Authenticity is not a predetermined set of characteristics or static personality; it is a constant layering of relationships and experiences that result from our conscious ability to choose who we are—each day.

Living authentically starts with trusting your intuition, being genuine and vulnerable. Sharing our weaknesses along with our strengths will bring us all closer together, and make us more comfortable with ourselves and each other.

Spreading authenticity happens when we let others see us as who we are, rather than who our egos convince us to be. Over time, as we learn to let go of the fear of being rejected for our true self, we inspire others to do the same. As a result, authenticity, not conformity, becomes the norm.

Persona is the opposite of authenticity. It is a social facade that a person projects for public approval. People who have personas are typically coming from a place of insecurity, fear and competition. They are not grounded in their authentic self and require constant validation from others.

Authentic Persona is when someone claims to be authentic, when that couldn’t be farther from the truth. This oxymoron has definitely become the norm in politics and social media, and as an unfortunate result, has turned some people off to the concept of authentic living.

Since Raleigh Coaching’s mission is to inspire people to shed personas and embrace their authentic genius, I’m quite sensitive to the misuse and abuse of Authentic Rhetoric.

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