On Being Too Authentic

"Just be yourself."

Do a quick "google" search on desirable traits in successful people or how to grow your IG account or get a promotion. Somewhere in the search results, you will see "Be Authentic," followed by a list of ways to project authenticity. (I even have a blog post about showing authenticity in your photos.)

But is there such a thing as being too authentic? Too much of yourself?

Let's look at authenticity as a form of sharing yourself. Share a little about your personal life, maybe something nice that happened to you on the train this morning, and you will find that many people will relate and feel close to you.

But share your innermost thoughts, and sometimes you get the opposite reaction: repulsion.

So how to walk this line when it comes to online branding?

I like to keep it simple when it comes to sharing online. When you think of sharing a story online that may be close to the line of oversharing, ask yourself, "What do I want to accomplish by sharing this story?

When your online presence is a part of your strategy for being seen and heard, you will only post stories and thoughts that relate to your audience for a reason. Are you teaching a lesson with this thought? Do you want your audience to feel a specific pain with you to build likeability and trust?

The stories and thoughts you share should serve a purpose online, especially if your knowledge and unique skill set are the product.