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Personal authenticity and blogging

November 7, 2013

20131107-100128.jpg In this day when content marketing is the rage, whether it’s content you write or content someone is handing to you, it’s refreshing to read stories like that of Boston venture capitalist, Joe Tango (@jtangovc), who puts authenticity at the top of the list when blogging.

My work is my own: no ghost writers, no editors, no PR firm. I write what I want to write. Now, there’s absolutely nothing wrong to use blogging solely for business and to help craft a certain image in the marketplace. I think that’s cool.

But, it’s not what I want. With my writing, I want to challenge readers and myself. I want to be “true.”

Being authentic can be hard for people, especially lawyers. Most lawyers are afraid to be authentic. It takes time. What if someone doesn’t like what I say? What if I run out of things to blog about? What if blogging becomes like work and puts a lot of pressure on me?

Tango had all these fears, but has developed what I think is a solid approach to blogging.

I decided a while ago to live a life of authenticity. Some people like my blogging, and some people don’t. Do I care about what people think? Honestly, I do. But, have I worked hard to put that low in my life? Yes. Absolutely.

Life is short. You’ll discover over time that it’s more important to be true to yourself than to fear what your partner or business associate thinks about something you’ve said.

I am not suggesting taking off the filter or knowingly creating problems. Nor am I suggesting sharing your political and religious views, the third rails which I don’t touch in blogging or social media.

But I am suggesting to be yourself. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the people attracted to a blogger who expresses themselves – especially a lawyer, in a world of fairly dry and boring law blogs.

Sure, an authentic approach will leave you vulnerable.

It’s natural to want to avoid vulnerability, but when we do so, we actually avoid happiness, too. That’s because we cannot selectively filter our world, and when we block out vulnerability, we block out upside, too. We have to take on all that life offers, the good and the bad.

What do you get from being an authentic blogger? Per Tango,

  • A legacy for your children. Tango’s style of blogging gives his children, who read his blog, a different lens with which to see their father – a view of his day to day life. Tango wanted to avoid Steve Jobs’ situation of trying to get his story out at the end of his life. My Dad’s effort to write his story for his kids and grandchildren was cut short by Alzheimer’s.
  • Allows you to synthesize what you’re seeing in the world. Like Tango, I read a good deal and meet a lot of people. Blogging enables me to to learn and grow from this experience.
  • Blogging is a great way to connect with people. Readers will become friends, business associates, and clients. Even those who don’t agree with you.

So so much to be gained by you, as a lawyer, from blogging. Take a chance. Be authentic. Be vulnerable. It’s worth it.

Image courtesy of Flickr by Patrick Lanigan.

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