The power of authenticity
More than excellence, we are often drawn to authenticity. And it is quite powerful and rewarding.
A few days back, the results of WBCHSE (high school final results of the West Bengal board) were declared. Following the old-age traditions, the reporters rushed to take interviews with the candidates who had topped the exam. But what happened next was quite refreshing. It became a focal point of discussion among many on social media.
Generally, you have these ‘kids’ giving generic answers like “XYZ publication was very helpful in my success”, “I want to be either a Doctor or an Engineer and serve society”, etc. Nothing wrong with these. This is absolutely fine. If a young mind aspires to serve society with their profession, it should be applauded. But they are very generic statements that have no authenticity or originality.
This year though, their replies were spot on. One guy, when asked what he wants to be when he grows up, straight up said: “I have thought about this but I don’t want to share it with you all”. Another lady also introspected her choices well. She pointed out how corrupt the current state government is, and how she is saddened by the whole state which she aspires to change. Then we had the first transgender topper too who wants to work for her community.
The one thing that these toppers had in common was the refreshing authenticity. And being authentic to yourself and the work you do is the ultimate thing you can do. In this age of the creator economy, being authentic can lead to greater success and fulfilment. Darshan and Puneet Superstar are two great examples.
Puneet started as a TikTok star before it was banned in India. Where he would post random videos of doing absolutely nothing or some stupid stuff. The algo picked it up and he became a ‘sensation’. Similarly Darshan. He posted his cover of some pop hits which were heavily auto-tuned. His posts were seen by millions and now he is making advertisements for different brands.
Again with Darshan and Puneet, what was common was their authenticity. Objectively, they were/are far from being world-class talent. But they are unique. One may cringe, laugh or get angry by their contents but have to accept their originality. This is also something that most LinkedIn ‘influencers’ lack.
Originality or authenticity is extremely crucial when one is looking to get a job too, especially off campus. Companies prefer candidates who have a good portfolio. In the domains of marketing, product, and analytics, these portfolios act as the ‘proof of concept’ for the candidate.
While it may sound trite, being true to yourself is often the key to success. In real life, this is often rewarding. Though the journey to reach that state where you can truly be your authentic self is quite tough. Most of us will probably fail miserably in that.