“No one can compete with you on being you. Most of life is a search for who and what needs you the most.” – Naval Ravikant
For as long as I can remember, we’ve been cautioned against comparing our behind-the-scenes reality to others’ social media highlight reels, those carefully curated photo carousels of perfect brunches and exotic getaways that suggest perpetual happiness and balance.
But this conversation has evolved. What began as a warning about personal lifestyle portrayals has shifted to something potentially more damaging: the manufactured image of professional and financial success.
We’ve witnessed the rise of an entire industry dedicated to helping people create the illusion of wealth. Private jet sets for photoshoots—literal stages where people can pose as if boarding a luxury aircraft—represent the extreme end of this spectrum. But the performance of prosperity happens on much more subtle and accessible levels too.
It’s the entrepreneur who leases a luxury car they can barely afford for client meetings. The consultant who books a hotel lobby for meetings rather than admitting they don’t have an office. The freelancer who inflates their rates and client list on their website. The small business owner who portrays their one-person operation as a thriving agency with multiple departments.
In pursuing this image of success, many are inadvertently creating a significant problem for themselves: they’re putting themselves out of reach.
When you position yourself as operating at a level far beyond your actual circumstances, you create a peculiar paradox. Those who genuinely operate at that level can typically spot the inconsistencies, they recognize the signals don’t quite match the substance. Meanwhile, those who might be ideal clients or collaborators for where you actually are in your journey assume you’re beyond their budget or needs.
“We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.”
― May Sarton
The net result? You alienate both groups. You miss connections with established players who see through the facade, while simultaneously scaring away the very people who would be willing and eager to work with the authentic version of you or your business.
Consider this: A freelancer who’s just starting out positions themselves as a high-end service provider with premium rates and an exclusive client roster. Their social media suggests they work only with established brands and command top dollar. What happens? Small businesses who could use their services (and would be willing to pay fair rates) don’t reach out because they assume they can’t afford this “premium” provider. Simultaneously, the larger brands that can afford premium services recognise the disparity between the portrayed image and actual capabilities or track record.
The freelancer has effectively placed themselves in a no-man’s-land of business development.
Why are we so eager to skip ahead in our professional narratives? Part of it stems from our culture’s obsession with overnight success stories and the glorification of “hustle” and “grind” culture. We’ve been conditioned to believe that the appearance of success is nearly as important as success itself.
There’s also the very human desire to belong, to be seen as part of an aspirational group rather than acknowledging where we truly are in our journey. The pressure to “fake it till you make it” has transformed from a confidence-building mantra into a directive to misrepresent one’s actual position.
“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.” – Brené Brown
The alternative approach—authenticity about where you are in your journey—offers far greater advantages. You attract the right opportunities for your current stage. When you’re honest about your capacity, experience, and price point, you connect with clients and collaborators who are appropriate matches.
You build relationships based on trust rather than perception. These relationships have staying power and can grow as you grow. You establish realistic expectations that you can meet or exceed. This creates genuine satisfaction rather than disappointment when the reality doesn’t match the image. You experience less anxiety about being “found out.” The constant vigilance required to maintain a false front consumes energy better directed toward actual growth.
Perhaps the most valuable shift we can make is to reconsider what “success” looks like in the first place. Is it really about the external trappings and status symbols? Or is it about building something sustainable that delivers real value, generates fair compensation, and allows for continuous growth?
When we focus on substantive achievement rather than its appearance, we free ourselves from the exhausting performance of premature prosperity. We can acknowledge where we truly are, and more importantly, enjoy the journey of getting to where we want to be.
“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation” – Herman Melville
Building something meaningful takes time. The most enduring businesses and careers weren’t created overnight, despite what revisionist success stories might suggest. By embracing patience as a virtue rather than an obstacle, we give ourselves permission to be exactly where we are while working toward what’s next.
Instead of rushing to portray ourselves as having “arrived,” we can embrace the power of being in progress. There’s something compelling about authenticity, about saying, “Here’s where I am, here’s where I’m going, and I’d love to take this next step with you.”
In a world saturated with success theatre, genuine transparency stands out. It creates connection rather than distance. It makes you accessible rather than out of reach.
And ultimately, isn’t connection what we’re seeking in the first place?
