How to Be Freaking Authentic (11 tips from an artist)
Be authentic like it’s whatever.
(psst, don’t forget to pin this for later!)
Authenticity. ‘Buzzword’ doesn’t even cut it. Still, that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun or important creative work.
Because no one else can do you quite like you. And somebody somewhere is waiting for you to show up: your unique way speaking, seeing and doing things. You cannot be copied.
So the trick is knowing how to find it, keep it and use it.
This is my guide on all that: how to find your authenticity. I’m an artist, musician, blogger and creator with too many projects. So that’s my lens and background.
Now let’s get to it!
Table of Contents
What Does Authenticity Mean?
Authenticity is pursuing creative work that’s aligned with your values, beliefs and “trueness”, even though there may be outside social pressure to create differently.
And it’s tricky business.
So why do we struggle so much to be authentic?
Algorithms, trends and metrics all tell us to be a certain way, create in certain styles and follow certain formulas, otherwise success is futile.
Even though we all know that’s BS, it’s still a trap we fall into. But it just takes a little awareness, intention and patience.
(so hopefully this post helps)
Why Should I?
Fulfillment
Feel happier
Feel more aligned
Build brand equity
Inspire others around you
Make decisions more easily
It’s more fun being unapologetically you
What Being Authentic Looks Like
Owning your style
Sharing your personal story
Not compromising on your passions
Choosing your style over a trend or template
What Being Inauthentic Looks Like
Sacrificing your voice
If what you say and what you do don’t align
Letting metrics guide your decisions or happiness
How to Be More Creatively Authentic (11 tips)
1. Know Your Identity
Being self aware is a key characteristic of authentic people. So defining your current state is a great place to start.
After all, if you want to get to point B (authenticity), it helps to know your point A.
Your creative identity is who you are as a creative person. This means defining things beyond your craft, such as:
Your core values
You beliefs
You points of differentiation
Your interests
Your personality traits, experiences and personal story
Your habits
You can learn more about creating an artist persona here.
2. Be In the Right Place(s)
Where you spend time matters. This includes the spaces you go, the places you live, where you travel and even where you create and share content (if you’re into that kinda thing).
Not everyone is built for video, or text, or voice, or whatever artistic medium you choose.
One of the easiest ways to reach authenticity is to simply choose the right medium and platform.
For example, if you’re easily able to be yourself while talking to a camera, then YouTube is a solid fit. But if expressing yourself through words is your superpower, then blogging or X is where you should be.
Of course, you can always learn any new skill, but when you’re just starting out and trying to create more authentically, start with what comes the most natural.
Once you establish your brand and identity, you can skill-build and expand from there.
So, where are you able to be your most authentic self?
3. Be A Copycat Failure
Copycatting gets a bad rap. Because it can actually be a great way to find and explore your inner creativity and authenticity.
Here’s how.
Start by choosing a creator or artist to copy (ideally, someone who represents your goal persona).
Then, copy something they’ve done (and try to copy it to a T).
Finally, compare your version vs. theirs and take note of what’s different. How and where did you “fail” at copycatting?
These points of “failure” often highlight what makes you different. So lean into those things more to develop your authenticity.
4. Create for You
Templates, best practices and formulas are great for learning and skill building. But as Picasso said:
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Creating for personal joy and fulfillment will make your projects more authentic, naturally. This is artistic authenticity and it translates to more unique quality, which ends up benefiting your audience anyways.
So have fun and don’t stress about following every rule or marking off every box in the content checklist.
Explore like you don’t care.
5. Hang Around Other Authentic People
I’m as good as the company I keep.
Having good company means surrounding yourself with people who make you feel totally comfortable with being your truest self.
We want our inner circle to motivate us. They should elevate and celebrate your quirks, weirdness and authentic traits.
So if the people in your life make you feel guilty for expressing who you truly are, it may be time to find a new crew.
Of course, it’s hard to cut ties (especially for close friends or family). So you can always start by simply consuming more content and following more creatives who inspire you.
Content creation and engaging with people online can be a nice segue to building a new community.
6. Take Baby Steps
Forming new habits takes time. But it all starts by taking action.
When it comes to authenticity, knowing what makes you authentic is only half the battle. The other half is taking action and actually doing more of the things that make you more authentic.
Sometimes there are bottlenecks in your way (such as resource issues, confidence problems or just motivation).
So after addressing those obstacles, taking action is essential to becoming more authentic.
So start doing things and making more decisions that are more aligned with your values, creative goals and beliefs.
Becoming more authentic isn’t a passive pursuit – it requires your participation.
Explore more:
➤ How to Embrace Your Weirdness
7. Get Into Flow More Often
When I’m in flow, I’m most authentic.
My creativity feels genuine and intuition is firing on all cylinders. My logical brain (who’s otherwise quite good at doubting and questioning everything) is nowhere to be found.
Put another way, your flow state is an awesome way to find and practice your artistic authenticity.
So here are some quick tips for harnessing it:
Get rid of distractions
Solve creative bottlenecks that stand in the way
Stay in the present moment
Act on intuition (more on this below)
Explore more:
➤ How to Get Into Your Flow State
8. Lean Into What’s Easiest
Your natural strengths can be hints about your authenticity.
Because what comes easy for you can also be what sets you apart.
For example, writing melodies and coming up with song ideas is a strength of mine. I don’t need to think about it and ideas flow naturally.
So I prioritize this in my workflows and use it as a focal point in my music (compared to highlighting amazing sound design or memorable lyrics, which are current weaknesses of mine).
When you’re naturally good at something, it’s easier to test new concepts, go off script and feel more confident in your ideas. This is one recipe for authenticity.
And besides, creative authenticity should come easy (once you figure it out).
So leaning into your natural abilities is a great way to get there.
Explore more:
➤ Is Destiny Real?
9. Stop Trying to Be So Dang Authentic
There’s a paradox with authenticity.
The more authentic you try to be, the less authentic you become.
So the solution is simple. Stop trying to be so authentic.
Water doesn’t try to be water. Do what comes most natural and what feels aligned. Listen to the heart over the head.
10. Practice Intuition
Intuition is one of the biggest hints for what makes you authentic.
It’s that gut feeling or sense of pull we get when doing something or making some creative decision.
For some people, it comes naturally. For others, it takes some practice to harness.
But here are some ways to practice and strengthen your creative intuition:
Meditate more
Tune into your body (listen to its cues more often)
Flip a coin for decisions (are you disappointed with the result?)
Try visualization
Trust yourself
Lean into spontaneity
11. Remember, Authenticity Isn’t A Destination
Patience and loving the journey is how I approach authenticity.
It’s how I approach most things.
It’s an adventurer’s mindset, which is fun because it turns everything into one epic journey.
Authenticity isn't an overnight thing. It’s also not a one-and-done thing. Because sometimes what makes you authentic right now may change over time.
So remember, authenticity isn’t a destination.
It’s an adventure and building a closer relationship with yourself.
Want More? Nice. Here’s More.
