This is a strange one to write. A bit like telling a magician to reveal their trick, but only to a select few. It’s about being genuine with your work, with your principles, with who you are… and then knowing when to hide that superpower.
See, we’re all told to be authentic. To stick to our values. To be that shining beacon of quality in a sea of mediocrity. And yes, absolutely, that’s what builds your brand. Your identity. It’s what separates you from the crowd. It’s like being the guy with the perfectly brewed filter coffee when everyone else is serving instant.
The problem? What happens when everyone else is selling instant coffee, and they’re all convinced it’s the real deal?
It’s like that scene from a movie, right? All the currency notes in the market are fake. If you walk in with a genuine one, they’ll look at you funny. They’ll squint, hold it up to the light, and ultimately decide it’s a better forgery than the ones they’re used to. They won’t believe it’s real. Your genuineness becomes a liability, a cause for suspicion.
In a world full of fakes, even being real can make you look fake.
This is the tricky part. You need to always, always have that high standard within you. It’s the engine of your success. It’s the bhindi you meticulously cut when everyone else is just hacking at it. But sometimes, you have to know when to serve the bhindi that’s just “good enough.”
It’s about knowing the difference between being genuine and being genuine when it’s required.
Look around you. If everyone is okay with mediocrity, if the reward for your best effort is just more work and no appreciation, it’s a good idea to match the energy of the room. Don’t lose your identity—never do that—but learn to dial it down.
Turn your performance down to their level of “fine.”
Why? Because the reward for good work is more work. And if you’re the only one doing good work, you’ll be the only one doing all the work. It’s not about being lazy; it’s about strategic effort. It’s about focusing on your own path and not getting bogged down in other people’s low standards.
So, don’t lose your fire. Just keep it in your pocket. Keep polishing that genuine note, but for now, use the fake ones to get by. Because when the time comes and you’re in a room where people value the real thing, you’ll be ready. And that’s when you bring out the perfectly brewed filter coffee.
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