I love having a good face day like the next person. But aside from checking if my hair and makeup are okay (or confirming my lunch remnants are not greeting people when I talk), my selfies usually stay offline.
Have I posted a selfie on social media before? Yes, of course, from time to time. I’m not saying they should be banned. Still, you can’t ignore the influx of happy-go-lucky, perfectly posed selfies on social media.
It brings into question whether or not people spend more time selectively showcasing themselves publicly than honestly facing themselves privately. (After all, no one posts selfies that are unflattering, right?)
Some may think that constantly showing confidence or happiness on social media is a part of personal branding, but that’s just a superficial layer. People will make their own assumptions regardless of how “perfect” you, or your life, looks “on screen.”
You can’t Photoshop the perfect version of yourself in real life.
A major part of being authentic is to honestly look at your own behavior and beliefs, embracing both the good and the bad.
It’s not sexy.
It’s not a superficial snapshot, filtered or cropped to hide your flaws. It’s a process that takes time and may expose things about you that are uncomfortable. Because the truth isn’t always pretty.
Do you really know what your personal brand represents?
What are you good at?
Where do you fall short?
What do people say about you when you’re not in the room?
The answers to these questions represent the unaltered face that you show to your clients, colleagues, friends, and family daily.
You see, taking selfies are easy; practicing self-awareness is not. Yet, being confident in who you are will eliminate the need to prove your success to anyone. There’s no need for filters or illusions.
At the end of the day, it comes down to taking the time to find out why people should care about what you say or do. The key is to spend more time focusing on the inside than showing the outside. It’s the only way to reflect an authentic and confident brand.