Social Media may have changed many things however, I have learned and experienced a lot of things during the years I have been online. Likely the most important lesson is that you need to be yourself online – as much or even more so than you do when seeing someone face-to-face. Many of you will argue with me. The supposed “beauty” of the Internet is the anonymity… the chance to make yourself into something you are most definitely not or to mould your identity to that which you think you should be. How, though, do you expect anyone to take you, your company, your products or your work seriously if you create a persona that just isn't real?
You may not be trying to build a business online right now, no. What if you decide you want to one day? What if your aspirations include working for a company who will research you using the internet? All of the idiocy that you posted prior to that will be fodder for the rest of us at that point. As you try to grow and make new connections, your past will be picked apart as soon as anyone realises you were less than 100% honest about who you are.
You are unique, and that's what makes you awesome without having to try. Why hide that? I'm notsuggesting you to share every detail of your life, I'm telling you that what you do choose to share should be as real and transparent as possible, maybe even some of it with a little forethought of the implications.
3 Responses
when we exchange the experience and resultes with neutral people may improve our reaction of the some cases we are facing to avoid the problems , really every one has distinguished things
Apparently, it is sometimes uncomfortable, for some, when I am 100% honest ~~~ it is never my intention to make ANYONE uncomfortable … and those that do know me well, understand that I am merely sharing my own truth…
PS
Let's make a vow to use spell check before posting … doh
I love this! Thanks for posting it, Mark. The one thing your post doesn't take into consideration is the ability one has to entertain by using a pen name, and there is tremendous value in that. I wrote a humor column as a blue collar male comedian for nearly 2 years, and my subscribers were avid fans. I loved making people laugh, and they really needed it. But I stopped the column and the persona for the very reasons you cite here. The greatest value you can offer someone else is being yourself! ~Liv