Personas are packages for people.
But of course, they’re not actually people. When you see someone with a crafted persona, you don’t actually know who that person actually is.
Sure—you know that they’re ambitious, chasing status, wealth, and power. You could say that they are “moving up in the world.” But without living up to societal expectations, who are they actually?
(And if they spend too much living out this fictitious persona, they’re not going to know who they are either—so they won’t be able to show you even if they wanted to.)
Let’s shift the topic over to you, because you are subject to the same tendency: at some point, you’ll need to make a decision to maintain the persona, or take the mask off. Brent Bershore suggests it’s sometime between the ages of 35–45. I came across Brent’s article from my friend Michael, who recently decided to take his mask off.
Engaging with the world as you—your authentic self—is one of the most courageous and rewarding things you can do with your life. Letting go of the persona is the first step.
P.S., Some reads this made me think about: Tom Critchlow’s small b blogging, and one of my final posts for Lifehacker about the four types of luck. The fourth type is a type of luck that you can only find through your unique perspective, passion, hobbies, and inclinations. I’m not saying you should be yourself because you’re going to get really lucky. More like, being yourself comes with a lot of benefits, including finding people and opportunities that fit your values and style more closely.