REVEAL YOUR STRUGGLE WITH AUTHENTICITY, BUT DO SO WITH A SOLUTION AND AS A ROLE MODEL.

I’m mostly referring to our presence on social media and the delicate balance of sharing our humanity while remaining a viable professional candidate for business relationships.

I didn’t use the word “share” your struggle on purpose. Sharing has become a ubiquitous term that is sometimes too easy to offer enough regard for value or meaning to the recipients. Hence the new-ish term “over-sharing.” It’s important that sharing our struggle isn’t actually us unloading our complaints and grievances on other people so that we feel better. It’s important that our sharing isn’t a lack of restraint or ability to sit with unpleasant feelings, resulting in hoping others join us in a frustrated mindset so we don’t have to feel  frustrated by ourselves.

Our struggle is IMPORTANT. It is impactful for those we want to work with us to know something about our struggle. It’s makes us human. It makes us relatable. It makes us trustworthy. It gives us credibility. If we want to appear perfect, how can we help solve our clients’ problems when we portray that we simply don’t have any?

Perfection isn’t admirable or trusted. Resiliency is. And you can’t be resilient without overcoming a struggle.

I used the word “reveal” because reveal involves a sense of restraint, carefulness, mindfulness, contemplation and strategy. It’s critical that we are authentic with ourselves and others, but we can also choose to be role models.

IT’S IMPORTANT THAT OUR CHOICE TO REVEAL OUR STRUGGLE IS PAIRED WITH A SOLUTION, OR AT LEAST SEEKING ADVICE FOR ONE.

I included “and your solution” because without a resolve or solution, there is no purpose to sharing the struggle on social media with potential clients. No one admires the person who saw an obstacle, turned around, and gave up.

Simon Sinek says, “The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.” This means people need to know what you believe. You can reflect on how you can reveal what you believe, and who you will likely attract as a result.

While being inspired and inspiring may indicate that you need to appear perfect, poised, confident and wildly successful, you also need to be relatable without being a downer. We can share our fight with vulnerability, but we can do so from place of courage and strength.

Some great advice I received is to only share a complaint when you have a better suggestion. Reveal your struggle with purpose, either to provide a solution as a role model or to seek advice from your community to help you achieve your dreams and live your happiest life.