Kartikeya Vajpai, Novelist, Author of The
Unbecoming, Cricketer and a seasoned lawyer sheds light on how to Lead
Authentically in an age of masks. In modern society individuals increasingly
live imagined versions of themselves, wearing identities shaped by memory,
ambition, and expectation. Pulled between who they once were and who they are
expected to become or how they are expected to act to reach greater heights,
authenticity gives way to performance. Across corporate spaces and social media
alike, personas shift with context, and political correctness becomes not
merely a norm, but a carefully maintained mask.
The inauthenticity in long-run will
lead to a huge psychological and ethical toll. People will feel the burnout
from constant self-editing and decision-making abilities being compromised by
bad optics. Unbecoming is a transformative journey towards reconnecting with
our soul and discovering our authentic purpose in life. This path helps or at
least invites us to abandon the perception to view the present moment through
the filters of past attachments, conditioning, fears, biases, and judgments. It
delves deeply into the essence of our conditioned patterns, which often obscure
our ability to perceive the situation with clarity and fresh perspectives.
Real authenticity is quiet,
consistent, and often inconvenient. To truly become what you desire, embrace
your authentic self without relying on preconceived notions or illusions of
future outcomes. Become the outcome itself. The art of becoming involves fully
embodying your desired self with sincerity and confidence. Our goal should be
to embody our highest selves, not merely attempt it.
People often forget that it is
essential to remain attached to our inner continuity. Our internal state
profoundly influences how the world responds to us. When we lose touch with our
authentic core or the self we aspire to embody, fragmentation sets in. Doubt,
fear, and insecurity arise because the desired outcome begins to feel separate
from our lived reality. An excessive focus on external approval weakens and
disrupts the frequency of becoming our intended self. The energy we project is
inevitably mirrored back to us.
Uncertainty brings resistance, and
fear creates friction. On the other hand, when we act with faith, clarity, and
a sense of plenty, the outside world responds with openness, trust, and new
opportunities.
Any identity we hold on to is, at most, genuine only for a brief moment. The
'self' is not something fixed or permanent. Instead, it is always changing,
shaped by each new moment. The version of ourselves that felt right just a
short time ago quickly fades as things change. When we recognize how temporary this
is, we see that there is no unchanging self to defend—just a lively process to
appreciate. Realizing this is at the heart of the freeing experience of
unbecoming.
The process of unbecoming begins with
the humility to relinquish the certainty of “I know.” Familiar frameworks and
inherited methods especially those that no longer serve us often obstruct our
ability to perceive the present clearly. Conditioned by our intellect and
experience, we often project our desires, fears, and expectations onto
unfolding moments. We mistake control for wisdom. True wisdom lies in
understanding what the present moment asks of us, rather than forcing it to be
what we want. Leadership, like authenticity, comes not from rehearsed answers
but from the courage to face each moment without preconceived notions.
In a time that valuesshow over
substance and performance over genuine presence, the act of unbecoming is a
bold choice. It encourages us to let go of rigid identities, discard borrowed
certainty and embrace the immediacy of lived truth. The pursuit of becoming in
a competitive world focuses on how one wishes to be seen in the eyes of others,
whereas unbecoming connects us to that authentic source lying dormant, waiting
to be recognized by looking inward. Thus, unbecoming accesses the unlimited
potential within us, which can take any shape or form that the current moment
demands. Freedom from the notion of becoming is the essence of unbecoming!