Be YOU or Be Nothing
❝ All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own. — Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
The idea of not mattering cuts to the core of every person. Don’t you agree? We consider ourselves to be individuals, with unique values, ideas, ambitions and backgrounds. But, if you’re not careful, you may lose yourself entirely, becomming a commodity that can be traded with indiscretion. You cannot let that happen!
Do you know what a commodity is? The Oxford Dictionary of Economics (5 ed.) defines a commodity as “a standardized good, which is traded in bulk and whose units are interchangeable.” A commodity, in theory, is perfectly substitutable with other commodities of the same class: wheat for wheat, sugar for sugar, gold for gold; and they can each be exchanged so easily because of standardisation. Can a person be seen as a commodity? Absolutely! Chances are you’re viewed as one yourself.
A commodity as “a standardized good, which is traded in bulk and whose units are interchangeable.” — The Oxford Dictionary of Economics (5 ed.)
When you are inauthentic or put on a façade or a false face in order to pacify others or in an effort to be liked, you become a commodity. In effect, you become like everyone else who is also attempting to appease the same people. This can happen in a business or work situation rather easily, especially in an environment where politics rule and the majority of people are too preoccupied with pleasing others to notice that they have sacrificed their unique value in the process.
You see, when you become a commodity, you become an interchangeable part — undifferentiated from all of the other parts in the machine — the machine that endlessly cranks away to produce ‘value.’ (We shall call this machine, ‘the business’.) When you are perceived as a commodity, nobody will respect you, and nobody will value you for the true depth of value that you can bring to the table. You’re replaceable. Replaceable with any other fool with your ‘skillset’ or any other business that offers the same services. This is applicable to all relationships, including the one you maintain with your employer or your clients. Is this what you want for your life, your work, your business? To be viewed as an interchangeable component, without any hint of unique value or individuality?
What makes you uniquely special when compared to the other person, or other business, or anything else, is YOU! It is your individuality, your personality — that special combination of values, desires, quirks, interests, relationships and background — that makes you a rarity. You cannot simply be substituted. YOU are the real value. Indeed, you may bring a skillset, or assets, or relationships or whatever else with you. Just like gold, these are intrinsically useful attributes, but they are in themselves also a commodity that can be traded and substituted easily. What cannot be substituted easily? You—the authentic you.
Showing up authentically will mean that some people won’t like you. They just won’t. Some may even despise you. But this is okay! These are the people, clients, and organisations who would not have been suitable for you in the first place. Your authenticity has acted as a filter, removing them from your path to success (whatever success means for you.) On the flip side, there will be others who like you and are drawn to you, perhaps who even love you, and these are the people you want to be working with and to have in your circle. These are your fans and your supporters, cheering you on and genuinely valuing you for the person you bring—you. You want to be attracting the right people, the ones who appreciate your unique value and who will stick by you and your business, because they get your vision, are grateful for your values and embrace the personality and background that make you, you. If you want to achieve the successes in life which you seek, you will only be able to do so in the right environment surrounded by the right people—those who accept you for who you are and appreciate your true worth.
There is so much to say on this topic, and so many aspects of work and life that we can talk about! Whatever your path in life, you must fight against commoditisation and surround yourself with the right people who truly appreciate your worth. And you can do that by throwing away all doubt and fear of what others might think if they knew the ‘real you’ and showing up authentically, 100% of the time. Don’t be the wheat, the sugar, or even the gold. Be the opal. Be the diamond. Be the gold nugget that is prised for its unique shape (even with all of its imperfections) formed from its fascinating backstory. Show up authentically and everyone will respect you, you’ll attract the right kinds of people, and you’ll walk your path through this world oozing more confidence than you ever thought possible.
See a point that resonates with you? Please, leave a comment! And, as always, thanks for reading 🙂
