Do you face pressure to be someone other than yourself? It might be a potential promotion, a training or development opportunity, or a job opening that stands to pay well but ….

Just because it’s a good thing, doesn’t mean it’s your thing.

Facts are, pursuing personal goals at the expense of who we are, can be a recipe for poor health – and unhealthy relationships.

Here are three reasons it works best to be yourself.

We’re not as good at being someone else.

To be good in sales for example, a person needs to uncover the issues. Those who do that are innately big picture oriented. If we’re more detail-oriented we tend to share information rather than ask questions – which makes us better consultants than sales people. Why not do what we do best?

It takes effort to be someone you’re not!

Leadership and management always require a different set of personality traits. In those roles you don’t do the work, you organize and direct it. So, if we’re supportive, like to think things through ourselves, and love detail, we won’t enjoy positions where it’s all about proactive decisions, active communication, and goal-setting. In fact, every day will be a struggle. Why not do what comes naturally?

We’re more productive and efficient being ourselves.

Some are highly effective in roles which get out front and take the risks required for growth. If our inclination is to be precise and technically accurate, why not stick with what we’re good at?

It’s not about whether we can or can’t do certain things;
it’s whether we characteristically enjoy doing them on a consistent basis.

Not all competencies are natural for everyone.

Why not be yourself?