Value of Authenticity

I wonder what is the real price of not being “authentic?”  I read a Huffington Post article titled, Does Authenticity Matter Anymore?  The thesis of the article is that there is a trend in our culture to enhance our looks, our performance for sports, dating, academics, among the many other areas of our life.  This caused me to think about how we are encouraged to pretend to be someone else in order to get ahead or at the very least, to fit in.

Is this any different from that adage, “fake it until you make it?” where in order to change something about ourselves to a more positive behavior, you pretend that you are that person already?

I do know that it takes a whole lot of energy to be someone that I am not.  I am not a confident extrovert.  I am not an articulate, think-on-my-feet speaker.  I am not a techno-geek that is detailed oriented.  Now those are just skills that can be learned.  Where is the line where I can accept and enhance the skills and experiences that fit who I am versus pushing myself out of my comfort zone to learn new skills and have new experiences to grow?

I felt that I have been doing the later more in my life rather than the former, i.e. to just relax into myself and focus on those things that I love rather than trying to grow into areas that really are not me and what I like to do.

So I have given up most of my life to focus on fitting in, do things that I don’t really enjoy, deny those parts of me that make up my joy.  Or you can argue that I have really gained skills and experiences that I would not have otherwise have had.  I do know now that I am a stage of my life that I really need to uncover what is my “true” self.

To answer the larger question of the desirability of being authentic, I believe it is about our behavior in relationship to others and how vulnerable and open we are with each other.  Authenticity equals uncensored, question mark?

I guess whether we are authentic comes from our intention.  If we intend to change our behavior for our personal growth then it’s authentic.  If we intend to have our behavior to fool others, fit in, get ahead then it is inauthentic?  What if it our intentions are for both outcomes?

Do you have any answers or comments?  Please share.