Your authentic Self is your brand and value proposition
Image by Anna Shvets
Key definitions
Authentic– of undisputed origin and not a copy
Self-a person’s essential being that distinguishes them from others.
Uniqueness -the quality of being the only one of its kind.
Identity – the fact of being who or what a person is.
Originality -the ability to think independently and creatively.
Sanctuary -holy place, haven, altar, retreat, hideaway place.
The sad truth is that when you are not your authentic Self, you will get swallowed up by other people’s identities. We live in an interconnected world where access to information and each other’s lives can easily silence our authenticity. The need to survive and desire for instant gratification have made matters worse.
There is nothing that is more satisfying and fulfilling like embracing and walking in your unique calling aligned with your authentic Self. Think about the above plant that is able to produce beautiful flowers, year in and year out without struggle. If we can discover our authentic Self, we will be like this plant.
During the week that I launched Life with Terry, the issue of authenticity bothered me a lot. It was a very hectic week filled with new challenges, some exciting and some uncomfortable. The market is overwhelmed with many life and business coaches, spiritual teachers, writers and so forth. I came across many people on social media and internet who are in my field of interest. Many of them have already cemented their place in the market. Some of them are just finding their feet. It was exciting and intimidating at the same time. Exciting because the presence of these people in the market is an indication and validation that there is a need for my calling. It is intimidating because it means that I have to do my part and step up to stand out from the crowd.
Be rooted in your calling
As you can imagine, if I am not rooted in my calling, it is easy to loose my grip and adopt the characteristics of other brands. It is possible to be swallowed up by their brands before my voice is known and heard. If you are not clear and comfortable with your mission, other people’s missions become yours. The last thing we want on earth is to manifest other people’s missions and objectives. We do not want to destroy the beauty and power of diversity.
Be Self aware
Being Self aware means that I pay attention to the messages that come through my thoughts or feelings. It means that I am not afraid to do self introspection and deal with emotions that are triggered by any imbalance that requires my attention. As a result, I was able to humbly receive the message that warned me against focusing so much on other people’s brands.
I was reminded and encouraged to honour and embrace my uniqueness and identity. As I said earlier, I came across many people who are in the space of life and business coaching, spiritual teachers and so forth. Their progress and achievements overwhelmed me. When I compared myself to them, fear and doubts got the best of me. When I tried to present myself according to their brand, I almost lost my authenticity.
Take a pause and assess your authentic Self
When realising that I was overwhelmed with competition, I took a pause and undertook a deep analysis of the person that I am. This prompted me to take a look at the work and the experiences that I have gathered for many years. The exercise gave me a renewed perspective of my unique traits, expertise, skills and strength when compared to what is out there. It gave me a new perspective of my unique selling point. The analysis helped to go back to the drawing board and sharpen my value proposition.
I got confident enough to see and embrace that my message to the world is unique and I have to treat it as such. In addition, I experienced the kind of peace that is known as “the peace that surpasses human understanding”. My excitement about my calling was elevated to a new level. The acceptance of who I am, allowed me to be comfortable in my own skin. Immediately, I knew what I needed to do in order to package a brand that represents my authentic Self filled with confidence and authority.
Focus on your authentic Self
One of the Tools of Creation is the power of focus. We multiply what we focus on now- positive or negative. Once you have assessed and identified your unique traits, skills, and expertise, and developed a brand, focus on it. When we focus on our authentic Self, we make ourselves the center of attraction and priority. Focus on your positive and unique qualities and build them until you are not easily shaken.
Your value proposition gets clearer when you focus on your authentic Self
When I focused on my authentic Self, I was able to answer critical questions about my value proposition. I was able to answer why somebody should choose me over other life and business coaches or teachers. I figured out my value proposition that answers why somebody should pay to listen to me when there are plenty of people to listen to. When you are authentic, the universe agrees with you.
Honour your authentic Self
The more I reminded myself to look at my unique traits, skills and expertise, the more confident and comfortable I got. I hope, like me, you will honour and embrace your uniqueness and identity. Let us not rob ourselves of the joy of experiencing our authenticity, and blessing the world with our uniqueness. We must not ignore the voices from within that are warning us that the road we are taking is not ours. Especially if you have done so much original background work in preparation for your calling. You were comfortable during the preparation and knew without a doubt that, that which you are gathering is for your calling. Now that you are in the field, there will be many voices that will make you to doubt your calling and crush your originality.
Remember that those voices are there to preach their own originality and they must be allowed to do so without imitations. Stay true to who you are. Stand firm and know thy Self. We should continue to learn from each other and from experts, but the learning should not take away our uniqueness.
Your authentic Self is your sanctuary
Your authentic Self is your sanctuary (one of the tools of creation). It is your sanctuary because you are protected from the external noise, the unnecessary competition that elevates anxiety and fear. It is your sanctuary because it is your filter that only allows manifestation of what is beneficial to you and for your calling. It allows you to manifest the best version of yourself that no one can copy.
Are you struggling to find your value proposition?
While it was easy for me to design my value proposition, it may not be easy for others to do so. Maybe you are reading this blog and wondering where to begin. I have worked within the innovation space for more than 15 years and understand the process of designing value proposition. My professional background together with my life coaching expertise will definitely help in defining a value proposition aligned with your authentic Self. Should you require assistance with defining your value proposition aligned with your authentic Self, don’t hesitate to contact me for consultation at bookings@lifewithterry.com.
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