8 Thought Leaders Share How They Get Vulnerable Online
Many of us struggle with sharing our stories authentically on social media. It’s all sunshine, rainbows, and candy corn until the specter of fear creeps in. But, with the spooky season nearly past us, it's the perfect time to summon your courage and embrace your true self. In this spirit, we asked 8 badass thought leaders how they confront vulnerability online. These were their top tips.
🫶 Get Real With Yourself
“Get clear on which parts of your life you are comfortable sharing publicly and which parts you prefer to keep private. For example, it’s possible to be vulnerable, sharing your career journey, professional failures, and career challenges, on LinkedIn, without revealing elements of your private personal life, if you so choose.” — Julia Lechner, Head of Editorial at Nextdoor
“Keep in mind that a post is a single data point and you can't draw any conclusions about your content from that. Some posts you love will get no attention, and others you think are ‘a disaster’ will blow up.” — Erin Baker, Executive and Entrepreneur Coach at Erin Baker LLC
“For me, pushing myself to be vulnerable with fears I have seen my clients struggle with as well has been helpful. I try to get really personal, but also include a useful tip, or ask others for their suggestions. I like to alternate between offering to promote a service or win, sharing a tool, and a more personal post.” — Dawn Smith, Executive Impact Coach at Whole Life Solutions
🎬 Just Get Started
“The first post is the HARDEST. It's like you're about to jump off a cliff. The key is to find a topic that won't activate your nervous system but you're still passionate about. And then keep showing up!” — Shabnam Golmohammadi, Founder and Leadership Coach at My Synchronicity
“Don’t overthink it. If you really want to be authentic you have to let yourself sit with yourself and share that moment with others. It feels scary at first but you will soon find your true self is your superpower.” — Melinda King, Founder and CEO at Belonging@Work
“First, just publish; don't wait days, weeks, months, years, or decades. Remember that only 3% of people post on LinkedIn, so know that if you just show up, you're going to easily come out ahead!” — Joyce West, Executive and Career Coach at Coaching With Empathy
😜 Don’t Give A Sh**
“Honestly, I started telling myself: ‘You know what? I don't care what y'all think about me! I'ma say what's on my mind.’ Whoever will benefit from my post, that will be great whether it's 3 people or 500 people." — Jad-Evangelo Nasser, Global Inclusion & Cross Cultural Expert at J-E Cultural Consulting
“I make most of my posts with videos on the fly. I don't rewatch them or they will NEVER get posted. When I am free and just being myself my videos get thousands of views. When they are curated and overly processed they get hardly any. Being comfortable being YOU is the BIGGEST boost to your brand.” — Rebecca Irby, Director of Transformational Change at New Detroit
🫵🏽 Now, It’s Your Turn
This Halloween, let the fear of being inauthentic and unheard be the real monsters you face. Your most potent weapons against them are sharing your story, embracing your uniqueness, and conquering your fears.
This exposé, as part of our blog, includes insights from real Badassery members who opted in to participate in this knowledge-sharing opportunity. We support our thought leaders in a myriad of ways, providing platforms to promote their work and champion others. For the full scoop on Badassery, check out our Membership Benefits or join the Waitlist.
