Honesty Is the New Strategy

Most people spend a lot of time thinking about what they should say.

Very little time thinking about what they actually feel. And yes, sometimes “should” matters. Tact matters. Context matters. But in most cases, especially now, people don’t want performance. They want honesty. Brutal honesty, delivered with care.

That’s been the shift over the last few years. People would rather know the truth, even if it’s uncomfortable, than be sold a polished version that falls apart later. Think about it. If you’re not honest with your doctor, can they really help you?

If you’re not honest with your audience, can you expect them to trust you?

Most people can see through fluff now. So the fluff stops working. I’ve been watching this play out with a brand called Little Ouchies. No big budget. No name recognition. First-time founder. What made it work wasn’t hype. It was honesty.

Why the product existed.

Who it was for.

Who it wasn’t for.

That clarity built trust. And trust built momentum. Here’s the part people skip:

To communicate honestly, you have to be honest with yourself first. Not the version that sounds good. Not the one you think people want to hear.

The real reason you’re doing what you’re doing.

That’s the work most people avoid. And it’s the work that changes everything.

The next time you’re stuck on the words, pause and ask:

Is this coming from truth, or from what I think I should sound like?