Authenticity is the new currency
But nothing important, or meaningful, or beautiful, or interesting, or great ever came out of imitations. The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.
This is more difficult, because there is no zeitgeist to read, no template to follow, no mask to wear. Set aside what y... See more
This is more difficult, because there is no zeitgeist to read, no template to follow, no mask to wear. Set aside what y... See more
Anna Quindlen • 1999 Mount Holyoke Commencement Speech
The imagination is not a state: it is the human existence itself.
William Blake
A Letter From the Young William Blake in Defense of the Imagination
This constant march into the unknown would not exist without the simultaneous sharing of millions of divergent points of view. Expressing oneself in the world and creativity are the same. It may not be possible to know who you are without somehow expressing it.
Rick Rubin • The Creative Act: A Way of Being
camus was right, real authenticity lies in knowing when to reveal yourself and when to hold back. otherwise your constant self expression becomes a performance to impress others and slowly erodes into vanity. but in restraint, authenticity transforms into an act of generosity, like when someone opens up at just the right moment and you see them in ... See more
Ashwin Sharmax.com
I tend to mostly value sincerity over originality. I think I perform better when I focus less on being original and more on being honest.
Timothy Ferriss • Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World
“If you trade your authenticity for safety, you may experience the following: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, rage, blame, resentment, and inexplicable grief.” ~Brene Brown
Authenticity is derived not from the uniqueness of your idea, but from the personal iterative process of creating meaning that takes place between you and your audience when you show up and share. Your ideas might not be unique, but the meaning made through conversation, collaboration, and interplay, is.