Authenticity v's Reinvention: A Coach's Perspective

We often hear these days how important it is to “stay authentic” or “be true to yourself”.  There is the famous quote by Oscar Wilde “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken”.  Influencers are coining phrases like “Living my truth" and "Unapologetically me”. So where does reinvention fit in with this idea of being authentic?

What if they are not opposites but two sides of the same coin?  

As a coach I am always curious if the goals and outcomes my clients say they want are truly authentic and how they fit into the wider ecology of their life.  I am keen to understand what meaning achieving their goals would bring to their lives. 

Reinvention can mean different things to different people. Some struggle to implement the changes they desire because they fear it will cause them to lose their authentic self. However, I believe that authentic growth often requires reinvention. When people come to a coach, they want to make changes. They want to have that difficult conversation, get that promotion, change that job, reach that financial goal and so on.

For these goals to be achieved, usually these changes must occur on a deeper level too. Quick action for the sake of immediate results may lead to a client landing right back in the same position a few months down the line. Our aim is to support our clients to a point where they no longer need us. To me, these changes represent reinvention.

For me, the phrases 'being ourselves' and 'stay authentic' have a static air about them.  I don’t want to be myself if some of my behaviours are no longer serving me well.  We all have that choice to be unapologetically different.  

So, what needs to happen for us to consciously reinvent? For deeply authentic and long-lasting change, I believe the following must occur:

• Intentionality – It all starts with intention and awareness. This is a conscious, deliberate process.
• Depth – It touches core aspects of identity or behaviour. Sustainability – While reinvention involves change, I believe for it to be truly satisfying, the changes must be enduring, not temporary.
• Integration – The changes become part of who you are, not just what you do.
• Growth-oriented – Change is driven by development and progress, not by a desire to escape or avoid.
• Value-aligned – The changes align with deeper personal values and aspirations.

As we dive deeper into the process of reinvention, coaching plays a pivotal role in helping us navigate these transformations. Coaching helps identify which parts of us to preserve and which to evolve. As your dedicated thought partner, the coach illuminates the patterns in your thinking, gently surfacing your contradictions and questioning the foundations of your choices. Together, you craft not just a plan, but a pathway that resonates with your truth.

What practical steps could you take to start a meaningful and authentic reinvention?

I believe we should be doing a ‘Truth Audit’ every 6 months, this is to keep you in touch with who you say you are and who you truly want to be. It will help spot areas of internal conflict that might need changing. 

These are the steps I  follow do a ‘Truth Audit’:-  

1.    With pen to paper: sit down and get super honest with yourself. Think of it as your self-sabotaging inventory. As a starting point think of 3 key areas in your life. This could be career choices, relationships, hobbies or future goals. Start to write how you might be holding yourself back in these areas and listen to your language about it.

• “I’m not sure it’s for me”
• “What if I fail” 
• “I’m not qualified enough”
• “Other people would be great at it, not me”

I spoke with someone recently who said they needed “just one more course” before starting their coaching business.  Is this really true or a way of playing safe?

2.    For each key area ask: Is this truly misaligned with my values, or am I avoiding growth? If fear wasn't a factor, would I still make the same choice? This helps distinguish between authentic boundaries and self-imposed limitations.

This self-reflection work will only get you so far. We all have blind spots in our self-perception. A coach will help guide you to a new way of being, challenge assumptions you are making and help to unlock growth you couldn’t achieve on your own.  When the magic happens

A client of mine recently had a moment of profound self-awareness when I pointed out that, while she had stopped one self-sabotaging behaviour, she had replaced it with another. She had made progress in setting boundaries in her personal life, particularly in her social life. However, when it came to her colleagues at work, she wasn't applying similar boundaries. It wasn't until I reflected this back to her that she experienced her breakthrough moment.

While this moment of insight is a crucial step, it alone won’t bring about lasting change. With her heightened awareness, the work on her reinvention now begins. We will continue to follow a structured approach to ensure she develops the necessary habits and gradually establishes healthier boundaries in the workplace.

To conclude, the journey of authenticity and reinvention is not about choosing one over the other but understanding that they are intertwined aspects of meaningful growth. 

Take a moment to reflect, as you consider your own journey of growth, ask yourself: Are you being authentic to who you've been, or to who you're capable of becoming?

About Author:

Françoise Olivier is not only a member of The Coaching Academy team she runs her own coaching business. She gained her ACC accreditation with the International Coaching Federation in 2024.  She coaches all walks of life on many different topics but specialises in coaching Adult Children of Alcoholics.