8 Basic Traits Of A Truly Authentic Person

Authenticity is highly valued: we don’t like or trust people who appear to be phony and false. As a matter of fact, we tend to avoid such people. We search for friends and colleagues who are truly authentic.

Authenticity is significant, but what exactly do we mean by the term?

We usually judge a person's authenticity by the passion and commitment they show for what they say or do. Undoubtedly, part of being truly authentic is standing up for your opinion and speaking the truth as it seems to you, even when it isn't what others want to hear.

But, the question is, authentic to what?

People may be committed to and passionate about many things, but this alone is not enough. Authenticity is more than staying true to our beliefs and ideas.

An inauthentic person is also able to stand up and speak for what they truly believe. We should not judge authenticity only by the passion a person has for what they do and say. The more critical part of the question about authenticity is to look at the character of the person. Is there something behind their words?

What humanistic psychologists would say is that, by definition, authentic people have several common characteristics that show they are mature and fully functioning as human beings.

Here are 8 basic traits of truly authentic people:

1) They have realistic perceptions of reality.

An authentic person knows what to expect from the world they live in. They are realists, they speak the truth, and they only believe the truth as well. They don't live in a dream world where everything is utopic. They know life is hard and they know how to fight to solve all their issues. On the contrary, inauthentic people are self-deceptive and have unrealistic expectations.

2) They accept themselves and other people as they are.

As they are realists, they won't expect themselves or other people to be gods or creatures with super powers. They accept mistakes and faults; they know that no one is perfect and they're not judgmental. Also, they prefer hanging out with people who know their faults rather than phonies who try to pretend they are flawless. In addition, an authentic person doesn't look to others for approval and to feel valued, as they know their worth and respect themselves.

3) They are thoughtful.

Authentic people are usually wise people who think a lot about life. They like spontaneity, but they won't make big decisions unless they're sure about them. They are people who think a lot and care about life and its aspects. They are mature who like thinking things through clearly.

4) They have a non-hostile sense of humor.

Some people say mean things, and then they pretend they're just funny and honest. A truly authentic person would never use their sense of humor just to undermine another person. It's different to speak the truth than to be hostile to everyone without reason. Truly authentic people are funny but not mean.

5) They are able to express their feelings freely and clearly.

A truly authentic person would never hesitate to express their emotions. They are proud of their emotions because they define who they really are. Contrarily, an inauthentic person would do their best to hide their feelings as they would feel ashamed and vulnerable.

6) They are open to learning from their mistakes.

An authentic person recognizes their mistakes and tries to learn from them. They don't pretend these mistakes never happened, but they also won't blame themselves forever. Mistakes are to be done, and we should learn from them.

7) They understand their motivations.

It's funny, but sometimes people don't really know their own motivations! They do thing unsure of their purpose. However, a truly authentic person always knows what they want and what their motivations are.

8) They listen.

If an authentic person is talking with you, it is because they want to listen to what you have to say. Otherwise, they wouldn't waste their time. You can tell they are listening because they are not just waiting to reply with their own views or opinions but are actually trying to digest what you are saying to them. They even pay attention to the little things you say because they want to understand who you are.

Authenticity is ultimately about those traits that prove healthy non-defensive functioning and psychological maturity. These are the qualities we need to look for.