Authentic self-expression vs Audience-pleasing
authentic self-expression in content vs audience-pleasing content
If you say you’ve overcome people-pleasing, what if you've become audience-pleasing instead?
Who are you creating for?
Is it the transactional outcome?
Are you unconsciously slipping into an audience-pleasing state when you create, because you know what they want to see?
Because you know which parts of yourself you want them to see in order to increase the chances they’ll follow you, buy from you, or see you as more “successful” or “famous”?
Are you giving yourself even one moment to create purely for you, cultivating the courage to show who you really are, not just what you're known for or professionally good at?
When you truly let go of trying to control transactional outcomes through your content, you become less audience-pleasing.
You return to a more natural state where flow, opportunities, systems, and audiences unfold organically.
But perhaps that idea sparks your insecurities.
It is scary not to talk about what you're professionally good at.
Because that’s the safe route it’s what people expect from you. It’s how you've been validated.
But that safety also prevents growth.
I’ve been through this too:
There are moments when truly authentic content just flashes through me because it’s so me.
Not because it fits neatly into a content calendar.
Not because I sat down trying to map every piece to what my audience wants, or to what will trigger a lead, a conversion, a next-stage call, or a sale.
In a system-driven creator world, it’s easy to fall into that loop.
We’re told to reverse engineer everything.
Create more. Do more. Sell more. More, more, more.
And many of us end up far from the version of ourselves we truly want to share.
Even when the likes roll in, the followers grow, and the opportunities flow...
Inside, behind the camera, off the calls, sitting in silence, I feel empty.
Now, I'm learning to be better at honouring the freedom and flexibility I have as a creator.
I no longer worry if:
Every piece of content, newsletter, webinar, or talk has to provide massive value
I’m meeting my audience’s expectations
I’m teaching exactly what they want to learn
Because deep down, I know that I feel fulfilled and happy creating this for me.
And maybe, just maybe, someone out there will see it and resonate with it.
Everything else likes, followers, conversions is just a bonus to have, and I’m of course so happy about.
Have you been people-pleasing?
Do you feel like your value and inner worth need to be validated by others?
The truth is absolutely not.
When you begin to cultivate a grounded sense of being yourself, a sense of safety from within, you’ll look back and realise:
You weren’t people-pleasing or audience-pleasing, or stuck in any particular mode when creating.
That’s the beauty of the artistic state of creativity as a creator.
