Whether you want to be successful, wish to be noticed in any room, want to improve your sales, or want to break free from the hustle culture, you need to be certain and authentic. It can’t be denied that certainty and authenticity are the steps to success; these go hand in hand to create the positive change you are looking for. 

What is certainty?

Certainty is assurance—the belief you have in yourself and your abilities. It entails being 100% sure about who you are and what you can do. Some people might mistake certainty for pride and overconfidence. It is neither of the two. If you see a red ball and are asked what color it is, you say red. If someone else asks what object it is and you are certain it is a ball, that’s not overconfidence or arrogance, but certainty. 

How is authenticity important for positive change?

There is no certainty without authenticity. Authenticity is the process of living as your true self. In other words, it is who you are—no fakeness, lies, or facade—just you! If you are not being authentic, you cannot be certain. If you are wearing tinted sunglasses and look at a red ball, you might be certain it’s a ball, but you might not be so sure of its color. You cannot be certain of your capabilities until you remove those tinted glasses that cover up your true identity.

How to embrace certainty and authenticity as steps to success

You cannot be certain until you are authentic. You cannot be authentic until you know who you are. Finally, you can never know who you are if you are not true to yourself. So how can you become true to yourself? Or rather, how can you guide yourself into authenticity and certainty so you can climb the steps to success? 

Here are some practices to help you be certain and authentic in life:

1. Engage in transparent communication

It is hard to be vulnerable, especially if it is not your default setting. But being truthful as to how you feel, specifically with the people closest to you, it would be easier to grow. Vulnerability helps you build your mental fortitude, as it is where you find your deepest strength and uniqueness. 

2. Stop looking around to scale steps to success

Many signs and billboards will tell you how to look, feel, behave, or react. But all of those bits of advice might not be you. Ask yourself what you want and go with it. It’s your life, and you should live it your way, on your terms, by your rules. Define how you wish to climb steps to success on your own terms.

3. Stop complicating matters

Avoid delving into unproductive thoughts about “what ifs,” “what someone said,” “how someone did it,” and “who someone spoke about.” All of these unnecessary thoughts make matters more complicated than they should be. If you want to do something and are happy with it, do it. If you feel a certain way, feel it. You don’t need the permission or approval to be yourself. 

4. Take time to identify yourself

Note that you are not your job, nor are you the company you work for. When someone asks you, “Who are you?”, if you are tempted to reply, “I am a doctor/soldier/businessman,” you need to go back and rework identifying the person behind the title.

5. Talk less, act more

Yes, stand in front of the mirror and speak to yourself. Write things down in journals. But if you spend too much time talking and avoid taking action, nothing will happen. The actions matter more than the intent when you wish to influence positive change.

6. Be in the right company 

Finally, you can only grow into certainty and authenticity when you have the right company. Friendships and romantic relationships go a long way toward defining who you are. 

Takeaway: Authenticity and certainty are steps to success

It would be easy to be sure of yourself if you are real. You cannot be certain if you are not being who you really are. You can have weaknesses; certainty does not mean you’ll be devoid of them.

Stop looking for things to make you look or feel the way you think you should look or feel. Validate these feelings in yourself, which will help you become rooted in truth and create positive change. You don’t need to be fake; you are an incredible version of yourself.