If you’ve spent any time trying to grow a business or a social media following, you’ve probably been told to “pick a lane.”

Stick to one topic. Be consistent. Don’t confuse people.

It sounds reasonable... until you realize what it’s actually asking: to shave down all the parts of yourself that don’t fit neatly into a brand. To hide the interests, ideas, and quirks that make you you.

That’s a tall order for any human being.

Most of us didn’t start businesses or creative ventures because we wanted to become one-dimensional. We did it because we’re curious, creative, and full of ideas. Yet somewhere along the way, the pressure to look “professional” starts to outweigh the joy of being real.

You start editing yourself. Holding back. Wondering if showing too much of your personality will make you seem less credible. And before you know it, you’ve built a version of yourself that doesn’t quite feel like home.

Sound familiar?

I’ve been there too. I once tried to follow all the expert advice, to narrow down, polish up, and simplify. And yes, it looked tidy from the outside. But it also felt like I’d quietly stepped out of my own skin.

That’s when it clicked: people don’t connect with perfect brands. They connect with honest ones.

The truth is, being multifaceted doesn’t make you confusing. It makes you interesting. It means your ideas have layers and your work has depth. The parts you’ve been told to hide? They’re probably the exact things that will draw in the right people.

So maybe the real challenge isn’t picking a lane, it’s allowing yourself to show up as a whole person, even when it doesn’t fit someone else’s formula.

Let your curiosity spill into your business. Let your humor, your compassion, your contradictions show. People don’t want a brand with flawless edges; they want to see the human behind it.

The world doesn’t need more polished perfection. It needs more people who are brave enough to bring their full selves to the table.

If you’ve ever felt torn between “being professional” and being you, take this as your permission slip: you don’t have to pick a lane. You just have to show up as yourself... all of you. That’s the version people will actually trust.

Forget the algorithm. Be the glitch that reminds people what real looks like,

🎃 Your Halloween Reality Check (and a Treat You’ll Actually Use)

This Halloween, forget the costumes; your content shouldn’t be wearing one anyway.

If your AI-generated posts sound a little too polished, too vague, or too much like everyone else’s, it’s time to teach it how to sound like you.

The AI Persona Jumpstart is a fast, one-on-one shortcut to make AI write in your authentic brand voice. In it you get:

• A mini brand voice review
• A fully custom AI persona prompt that captures your tone
• Versions for ChatGPT and other AI tools
• A quick-start guide to use it right away

Grab it for half price through October 31 before the witching hour.

🕸️ Get the AI Persona Jumpstart — Before the Clock Strikes Midnight

Because the only thing scarier than Halloween masks… is content that doesn’t sound like you.

Share the Shift

If this issue hit a nerve, forward it to someone who’s also trying to figure out how to show up as their whole self in business. The more of us who stop playing small and start sharing what’s real, the better this space gets for everyone.

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