by 
I’ve been interested for a while now in the concept of authenticity in daily living.
Authenticity, obviously, is about being honest and genuine in life. It means being honest with yourself and in your relationships, relating to others meaningfully, and not trying to be something you’re not.
To achieve or approach authenticity, you must at times have the courage to speak even when it’s uncomfortable. This can be difficult.
People want candor. Generally, they want to connect with someone down to earth who speaks their mind and isn’t afraid of common sense truth. They want to feel like they’re talking to someone real, not a robot.
“To be authentic, do the work, focus on things that matter, and have a strong compass,” said Naval Ravikant, who believes you escape competition through authenticity.
To further paraphrase the Silicon Valley thinker, “Competition leads to copycatting and playing the game completely wrong. But being genuine, being ethical, is magnetic to the right minds and people.”
Implicit in all of this, have an opinion. Never hesitate to describe with confidence your impression, perception, and feelings.
Yet why is it so hard to ignore (or simply minimize) the cultural pressure of “don’t judge”? Important distinction: being judgmental is not synonymous with being intolerant. The ability to make judgments is a distinguishing characteristic of being human. Whether we care to admit it, human beings profile. Rather than avoiding it, we should strive to improve it.
When someone takes an unpopular position, find out what they were trying to put forward. They might be onto something. By listening with an open mind, we can better evaluate.
As Winston Churchill put it, “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it and ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.” Embrace authenticity. Speak your mind without fear.
Stuart Wade 