Welcome to Authenticity Report - Issue #87
This week, we’re exploring a simple but powerful idea: what it really means to discover and live as your authentic self.
Our Roundup: From the Seattle Seahawks’ championship culture to leaders misusing authenticity and McDonald’s CEO’s viral marketing misstep, these stories show how authenticity drives success—or exposes disconnects—in sports, business, and culture.
This Week’s Report
—> Finding Your Authentic Self
—> Takeaways
—> Tell Us
—> Authenticity Roundup
—> Top Voices
What Do You Think? We are reshaping and expanding our Authenticity platform, we'd love to have you on board and contribute! Email us directly at [email protected]
Read Time: 3.5 mins
| Finding Your Authentic Self
This week, my therapist asked me a question that caught me off guard:
“What is your authentic self?”
You’d think I’d have a quick answer.
After all, I spend a lot of time studying authenticity through our work with the Authenticity 500 Index and conversations with people & brands about trust, purpose, and values.
But when the question turned inward, I paused.
Is your authentic self the version of you at work?
The version your friends see?
The version you present online?
Or is it the person you are when no one else is watching?
The more I thought about it, the more I realized something important:
Your authentic self isn’t a job title, a brand, or a personality trait.
Its alignment.
It’s when your values, actions, and decisions start pointing in the same direction.
For some people, that might mean choosing work that energizes you.
For others, it might mean speaking honestly when it’s uncomfortable.
Or simply spending more time doing the things that make you feel most like yourself.
When those things line up, you start to feel it.
Interestingly, companies go through the exact same process.
The brands that people trust most usually know exactly who they are—and just as importantly, who they’re not.
Brands like Patagonia, Trader Joe's, and Ben & Jerry's didn’t build loyalty through clever marketing alone.
They built it through clarity of purpose and consistent behavior.
When a company’s values, culture, and actions align, people recognize it immediately.
Authenticity—whether personal or corporate—is something people feel, not something you can simply claim.
So I’m still working on my answer to that therapist’s question.
But I’ve realized something along the way:
The goal isn’t to perfectly define your authentic self.
The goal is to keep moving closer to it.
And maybe the real question—for both individuals and brands—is simple:
Are we living and operating in ways that actually reflect who we are?
New Tool for Exploring Your Authentic Self
If this question resonates with you, we’ve created something new to help.
Introducing our newest tool:
Personal Authenticity Deep-Dive Journal
It’s designed to help you explore your values, decisions, identity, and personal alignment through guided prompts and reflection exercises.
| Takeaways
1. Know What You Stand For
Your authentic self starts with understanding your core values and priorities.
2. Alignment Builds Trust
Whether you’re a person or a brand, people trust consistency between words and actions.
3. Cut Through the Noise
Expectations from others can slowly shape who we become—authenticity requires filtering that out.
4. Authenticity Is a Practice
Your authentic self isn’t something you declare—it’s something you continually move toward.
| Tell Us
Which content do you prefer in our weekly newsletter?
| Time To Choose
What Brands Are Authentic? It is time once again to choose which brands you feel are authentic. Please tell us via our survey (it takes less than 5 minutes to fill out).
The results of your decisions will be part of our annual Authenticity 500 Index rankings, which you will receive for free.
| Authenticity Roundup
This week's curated reads from web
photo: seattle seahawks
sports
• Seattle Seahawks Coach’s Power Of Authenticity
Mike Macdonald built a championship culture with the Seattle Seahawks by staying true to his leadership style, proving that authenticity and a clear vision can drive both team unity and winning results.
Read More → field gulls
personal
• Are You Using Authenticity As An Excuse Not To Grow?
Leaders sometimes use the idea of “being authentic” as a justification to resist feedback, avoid behavioral change, and stay attached to a fixed identity instead of evolving to meet new leadership demands.
Read More → fast company
culture
• The McDonald’s CEO’s Big Burger-Eating Mistake
A recent promotional video with McDonald’s CEO showed how scripted corporate messages can feel out of place when people expect brands like McDonald's to be more genuine.
Read More → forbes
| Tools
Personal Authenticity DeepDive Journal
The Personal Authenticity Deep-Dive Journal is a complete 13-section self-discovery system built across all seven dimensions of personal authenticity — Real, Original, Truth, Honest, Genuine, Integ...
| Past Reports
| Support
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| Top Voices
What Does Authenticity Mean To You?
This newsletter is an exclusive benefit to our Authenticity community.
Our weekly guide explores the meaning of Authenticity as it relates to our personal and professional lives and the brands we connect with, bringing you the latest insights, curated news, and guest authors.
Our tools to help you:
• The Authentic Brand Audit Kit
• Personal Authenticity Deep-Dive Journal
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Disclosure: Some content in this newsletter may be generated with the assistance of AI tools for research and drafting. It was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by our human editorial team before publication.
