Authenticity, it’s kinda like one of those
Mythical type words right?
Where like everyone has heard of it
Tried to do it, but only a few succeed in it.
Why? Well that’s exactly it…
It’s because often people are trying so
Hard to figure out how, or what, that
They forget why.
It’s simple, if you know why you’re
Doing something, the how or what
Becomes relatively unimportant
And usually falls into place somewhere
Along the line.
Let’s take television in general.
A successful show starts with why.
Seinfeld, for instance was a show
About quite literally, nothing.
They even said it in their advertising.
Of course if it was actually about
Nothing it would have been a
Blank screen for 30 minutes every
Thursday at 9PM.
On the surface it was about nothing
But it became popular because it
Was a show that gave us a different
Perspective on our own lives.
It wasn’t meant to be a scripted comedy
About ultra successful people or about
A down and out character that just so
Happen to have a beautiful wife and kids
Like every other show at the time. It
Innovated in being the precursor to modern
Reality TV with it’s seemingly non-scripted
Anecdotes and for it’s time, superfluous
Situations.
So how does a show about nothing apply
To your authenticity?
Well the fact that it was about nothing
Should give you a clue into how powerful
It is to start with a solid sense of why
You are doing something.
They wanted to create a show that was
Different from all the others. They
Weren’t concerned so much with
How much money they made (at first)
They just wanted to make a show that
Was different, but yet still creative.
You can do the same in your life.
You don’t have to do what everyone
Else is doing just because they seem
To be successful.
Maybe you are not supposed to be a
Doctor, or a lawyer. And maybe
Pursuing that will actually make you
Less money and create less happiness
Over your lifetime than if you picked
Something that was more suited for
Your authentic self.
What’s important is to, before you
Undertake any activity or try to
Think about what the results will be
Of your actions; try to first think about
Why you are doing what you are doing.
Money is not a good enough motivator
After awhile to get you out of bed in the
Morning, day after day for a job you hate.
Praise, isn’t enough if you simply hoping
To get more praise for doing something
That feels contrived.
If you are chasing money, or praise you’re
Actually just chasing results. If you are
Looking to inspire and build a framework
In which people can truly see you are
Different and feel compelled to follow
Your lead, you must first start with “WHY”
Jerry “because” Washington
P.S. Sometimes these posts get away from
Me and I apologize for that. It’s just that
I get so passionate about helping others
Stop living that zombie life where they
Are simply going through the motions.
There are many reasons why I personally
Do this, but I would say that for the most
Part it’s because I believe that we have
Been taught the wrong thing for so long
And many don’t even realize that they
Have lost hope in creating a living a life
That is authentic and gives them fulfillment.
If you suspect that may be you, I would
Like you to consider joining the conversation
With me and a few of my friends in my
Private Facebook group Project SELFFY.
There we talk about what drives us and how
We can all make an impact on the world
That feels appropriate and truly make you
Happy. Talk soon…
