A couple of years ago, I decided I had been a doctor long enough and needed to start my private medical practice. But I did not have any business expertise. Thus, I sought out a business coach. One of her earliest pieces of advice to me was to make myself visible to the world.
A glimpse into the conversation:
My Coach: “Get out of obscurity and let the world know who you are and what you do.”
Me: “And how?”
My Coach: “Just record a short video telling a bit about yourself.
I felt like a dead duck. For me, talking to the world on the video professionally? Not my cup of tea! I was blank for hours, and had so much fear about recording. Finally I knew I had to do it. It was my homework. I recorded the video but did not post it on social media as I was supposed to. I went back and let her know that I sounded horrible. I was too loud, my tone was not even, and who knows if anyone would even understand my accent. And she said, “That is the authentic you.” The different flavors you have to offer to make the authentic you. If you did not resonate with a specific person watching your video, that’s because that video was not meant for them.
Reluctantly I went back and listened to it again. I felt a strange sense of liberation. I could be me and still do what I want to do. Wow! Life just got so much easier! I posted the video and called a friend. I asked her to watch it and let me know what she thought. She said she liked what I had to say. Was I too loud? “Don’t know.”, She said, “I was listening to what you were saying.”. I realized that day that I just had discovered “The authentic me.” I felt free and lighthearted deep inside. I was free to be me.
Back at work, I was talking to a teenager and her mom. She appeared kind of sad. On further questioning, mom said that she was having difficulty keeping up with peers at school. She was a very talented student. But somehow, she felt that she did not measure up. She needed to be “cool” to fit in. That somehow was not going anywhere, and that had affected her emotionally. “How about creating a brand called “You Incorporated” I asked. The authentic you. You create your ‘brand’ and show it off confidently. And watch the magic happen. Find your best talent (she had many) and let people know about it. If you are confident about what you have, people will follow you. Celebrate the uniqueness that is “You.” She smiled and promised to give it a try.
A few visits down the line, she was a different person. It worked. She had made a discovery and has since been on her way to becoming a singer. When you are open and discover your true authentic self, you are inspired to share with others. Self-discovery and showing up as who you are is the most beautiful part of it because through your journey. You never know whose day you can brighten, enlighten, and encourage them to find the beauty within themselves. Today I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and be like the brand we all know, Nike, and just do it!
