This is something I’ve been dieing to write about for a while. Its a little raw. But comes with the territory.

Authenticity.

And its somthing I believe to be a huge issue holding a lot of people back in not just their businesses but in life. Maybe you?

If there is one piece of advice I think I could tell anyone when it comes to life, business, success, happiness… anything.

Its BE AUTHENTIC.

Be who you are.

Speak your mind.

Stand up for what you believe in.

Be yourself. Be awesome.

As my good friend Aaron Rashkin would say. “If you don’t stand for somthing you stand for nothing.”

That could not be more on the money.

Trying to be something your not, trying to be someone else because on some level it appears that they are having the success you want could be whats holding you back from the life you truly want right now. Plain and simple.

I remember when I first came online.  I was a struggling broke construction worker living off of peanut butter sandwhiches and canned tuna (not particularly in that order…).  I was willing to do what ever it took to make it, to be successful, to break away from the life and environment I had created for myself given my current beliefs and experience.

Work hard, pay your taxes, retire and die.

F#%& that. (warned you it would be raw)

I had traveled far enough down that road to realize where it was going to end. I realized that if I didn’t change the direction I was going, that I was actually going to end up where I was headed…

And the thought of it TERRIFIED me.

I had a full on panic attack when this one morning in the shower before work.

So by the time I was knee deep in this online world investing in myself, my education, and learning and studying and dissecting business models and making moves, I was willing to do whatever it took to end the suffering.  To get me out of the pain and suffering I had created for myself.

To the point where for a short period I actually lost WHO I was, and who I even wanted to be. Or what I wanted to be known for.

I wasn’t being authentic.  And it was truly holding me back.

Small pieces of evidence from my joinery still float around online to this day.

Take this for example

Thats not me.  Well it is me (and I do like pink shirts haha).  But in reality what that is. Is an insecure 22 year old kid who doesn’t think that his knowledge, insights, perspective, experience and results is enough to be taken seriously by an older audience. Is enough to be viewed as a viable resource for business and finical perspective despite his results (this was after I had “made it”).

I actually went out and had professional pictures taken with a tie on all nice and clean cut just to portray a more professional image because of my own insecurities.

Up until this day, I actually had long hair and a lip ring believe it or not haha.

Not that there was anything actually wrong with professional photos.  But in all honesty, I don’t where ties. I was portraying something that I associated with an image of success that wasn’t even really mine. I wasn’t being authentic, I wasn’t thinking for myself.  Heck keeping with the theme of authenticity, Im sitting here in pajama pants sitting at a starbucks writing this for you right now. The ability to be able to do that.  Thats more my definition of success haha.

Understand this.

Your power comes from WHO YOU ARE.  How someone may or maynot portray you is fine.  You can’t please everyone and you should never try to.  In doing so you will please no one.

No matter your taste, your personality, how you look, no matter WHAT there is about you, there is an audience, there is a group of people who will be attracted to that, who will resonate with that, who will appreciate you for you.  Period.

Your perspective, your point of view, your experiences are soupy unique to YOU.  Unless you are being authentic and being real, no one will get to share in what makes you, you.

Take fashion for example.

Ever wonder how some people can simply pull off wearing ANYTHING.  Seriously.  Its not what your wearing.  Its how your wearing it.  Its the confidence and certainty you have.  Its your level of belief in what your doing and who you are.

The sooner you step into WHO you are, and choose who you want to be.  What you want to be known for, the sooner you can step into your personal power, and begin claiming the results and building the life you actually want.

Not something you may have unconsciously stumbled into thinking you wanted up until this point.

It simply comes down to a choice.

Truth be told, we all grow and learn from our experiences.  There are things I’ve done, tastes I’ve had that I’ve grown out of, that I’ve developed.  Both in the content I read, I write.  The cloths I where heck the food I eat.

I couldn’t stand onions till like last month haha….

Share of yourself, be authentic.

Learn from your experiences and the lessons that come with each and everyone of them.

Probably one of the most self defeating things I ever did, that hurt my credibility, my relationships, heck even the trust that certain people in my life had for me came when I first got started in this online world.

I’ve never actually told anyone this story.  And it may shock some,  but hit home for where others are right now.

When I was first was getting into affiliate marketing and putting out some content (which was TERRIBLE by the way.  Embarassing on so many levels to look back on now and think that somthing like that was even possible haha.  But we learn and grow right)

I had cut this video while I was visiting a good friend of mine.  And I had cut this video, a very lame, embarrassing video.

In the video I implied that I was actually living in this particular home, and portraying a level of success and wealth that wasn’t mine.  Mean while I was broke as a joke, $36,000 in debt at the time, hadn’t made a penny online and was surviving off of peanut butter sandwiches…

True story. Embarrassing story, but true.

Does it get any more in-authentic then that? To this day I am so embarrassed and ashamed that I did something like that.

I was struggling, I was hurting, I was frustrated and I was trying to do what I was seeing online. I didn’t think it was possible for me to be successful until I was successful….  

Crazy logic right?

How the EFF does that make sense. It doesn’t.

I wasn’t even aware of this belief until a few real buddies of mine actually seen this video. They immediately called me,  almost in tears laughing.

They knew how hard up I was, how much I was struggling.  They wanted to know WTF I was doing.

And they were right.  WTF was I doing?

I really wasn’t aware of it at the time. So thank god they called me out.  I am actually so happy, and grateful for that experience.  For that embarrassment, for that shame.  That was the first lesson I ever learned in authenticity.

Also thank god they were some of the first people to see the video so I could take it down before it did anymore damage.  I was unconsciously stepping into a space where I thought I had to “fake it till I made it”.

What a load of crap.

Thank god they called me on it.  Thank god I had to experience the shame and embarrassment.  Without it I could of caused some serious damage.

The lesson here.  Be authentic in everything you do.  Cut the shit.

If your new, let people know your new.  Share your experiences, your stories.  BE REAL.

There is nothing more powerful than being real.  Thats what resonates with people.  Thats what connects with people. Being you.  There is only ONE you.  There is only one perspective on the planet like yours.  Thats your value.  Thats your power.

The reality is that you can BE, DO, or HAVE anything you want in this world.

The hardest part is choosing.  Just be present, be aware of how you are showing up.  Because awareness creates choice.

Having this self awareness gives you the power to choose at any moment to be who you want to be, to do what you want to do.

Step into your own power.  Be authentic, be real, be you and watch how your results in business, and in life begin to shift to make room for that space.

Wear your insecurities on your sleeve.  Share your story, share your experiences and see what happens.  Be vulnerable.

So often I come across new marketers, bloggers, or entrepreneurs work where this lack of authenticity is just so blatantly obvious.  And its DESTROYING their work.

Sometimes it comes off in a light where something just seems off about them.  Theres no real sticking point or anything real about them that is relatable.

Its no secret that the whole purpose of any business on the planet is to find, keep, and grow a relationship with the RIGHT people.

How can there be a relationship if theres nothing to relate with?

In most cases this issue isn’t even their fault.  And if that example describes you, its not your fault either.

Its like the blind leading the blind out there right now.

And that truly is the case for the internet marketing, make money online and home business industry.

So many people pretending to be something their not.  Everyone a self proclaimed “guru” leading people in circles filling their heads with miss information.

Its the same reason I had this unconscious belief of “faking it till you make it”.  Its bull.  Don’t fall for that. Be careful who your learning from.

It wasn’t Until I started working with Jay Kubassek that I really truly understood this.  He changed my entire perspective on what it means to be authentic.  Heck we had a pretty heavy conversation about this very topic down in vegas at around 3 am while sitting at a little smoothy bar at the Mandalay Bay Casino.

Truth be told, I was terrified about going on stage to speak infront of hundreds of people at PRO U’s master marketing event.  What was I scared of?   What is anyone scared of when speaking in public?

Being judged?  What does it matter if people are judging you if your being authentic.  If your being yourself.  If your sharing openly and honestly.

By the time this picture was taken…

 

We had only left the bar hours earlier. So I wasn’t scared of nothing haha.

I went out there and I shared from the heart.  I shared my perspective.  I shared my insights.  I shared my story.  I shared about the incredible night we had just spent out with Jay and my new distinctions on Authenticity.

Showing up in that space is what made it real.  Setting the intention of being authentic is what connected the audience to the content, to the message, to the story.

Being authentic and quite honestly “not giving a shit” what anyone thought was what freed me from that little voice in my head.

So whats my point?  Well I’d be lieing if I said I didn’t get distracted there for a moment with that story haha. Good times.

My point being.

Who are you learning from.

Who are you working with.  Who are your role models.  Who are your mentors?

Are you not getting the results your looking for?

Are you overwhelmed?

Are you frustrated?

Stop, take a moment and look at who you have or have not been learning from.  Who’s been guiding you and influencing how you’ve been showing up. Have you been learning from someone who themselves has been “faking it till they make it” like I was.

Are you working with a “self proclaimed guru”.  Or are you working with someone who’s real.  Who’s actually doing it.  And who is in a position to show you how you can actually do it to.

Thats what Jay was for me.  After speaking with Jay and gaining these insights it was like I was seeing clearly for the first time in my life.

What you put into your mind comes out.  Choose the information you take seriously wisely. Results speak louder then words.

Surround yourself with the Jay’s of the world.  Marketers, Mentors, Thought leaders, and entrepreneurs who don’t just know what to do, but do what they know.  Who don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk.

Jay’s actually hosting a webinar this week.  http://goprou.com/iGlobalPros

If your sick and tired of being sick and tired.  And you want to learn from the best.  You’ll be on this webinar. (space is limited)

There will be countless million dollar golden nuggets shared. Make sure you are on that webinar.  Learn from the best.  Don’t recreate the wheel. Keep it simple,  keep it authentic, and take action.

There is nothing more inspiring to me then seeing someone being bold, taking action, and making it happen.

Be authentic, be who you are, and know that you are on track to creating the results that you want in your life.  Showing up is what matters.  Your already there.

 

Be Bold. Make It Happen.

Kam George