10 Unusual Keys to Becoming an Authority in Your Field (A Heart-Centered Guide)

Everyone and their cousin talk about authority building online.

Google "how to become an authority in your field," and you'll find countless articles that tell you how to develop your brand and grow your influence.

The actionable tips range from getting interviewed on podcasts, pitching your articles to major magazines, and growing your network on LinkedIn.

This is all solid advice proven to work for countless entrepreneurs.

However, I'm not interested in repeating what's already been said before.

In this post, I aim to highlight the underlying, less talked about heart- and mindset shifts every conscious entrepreneur needs to undergo to become an authority in the long run.

With these in place, you build a legacy of love from within, so your brand carries you through life as you grow and evolve as a human being.

Let's get started.

1. Decide that you are an authority.

Nobody will hand you a permission slip saying, "You are now officially granted to perceive yourself as an authority in your field." It starts with you. You are the authority of your own life.

As you lead yourself with confidence and humility, you show up in your conviction that you are here to serve with your experience and expertise. Authority begins within you, then it extends all around you. As within, so without.

So make the conscious decision to embody your inner authority with conviction, and remind yourself each day that you have the right to be who you want to be, just like everyone else.

2. Give your unique perspective, go against the grain, and challenge the current status quo.

Who were the true leaders who changed history? Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and Alan Watts come to mind. Did these people succumb to the current consensus? Hell no! They stood up for what they believed in and shook the masses awake with their conviction. They challenged the status quo because they didn't agree with how things were done.

What do you not agree with -- in your industry or otherwise? What needs to change? Dare to speak up, challenge the consensus, and make some noise. We need you to share your truth, vision, and insights, so we grow and evolve together. Stop hiding and lead with love.

3. Lead with love.

Leadership is making someone feel seen in their highest potential in a way they cannot see themselves (yet). You assume the big-picture vision and guide yourself and others towards a higher vision of yourself and the world you want to live in.

When you embody truth, love, and beauty, you lead by example. You become a role model and thereby inspire others to rise.

BTW--Leadership does NOT mean dominating, controlling, or exerting your power over others. When you lead with love, you show up with vulnerability, courage, and honesty. You listen to the wisdom of your heart and the truth of your soul, letting it guide you every step of the way.

4. Trust your inner guidance.

It's difficult to trust your inner voice when it's constantly drowned out by noise from the outside world. To establish yourself as an authority in your field, you need to listen to the small, still voice within, a.k.a. your soul. This is where true innovation comes from. So be still and listen. Make time every morning before you turn on your phone to connect within.

How you do that is up to you, but quiet walks, prayer, meditation, and journaling all work. When you get great ideas or insights, note them down in your journal immediately. Don't just trust you'll remember them -- you won't. Write it all down.

Most of all, trust yourself and your inner knowing. Your authority is rooted in your ability to trust yourself. The more you trust yourself, the more confident you become.

5. Share your expertise with content.

Express yourself every day. When you create content, whether it is through a podcast, your blog, or an Instagram account, people will get to know you intimately. When we get to know you, we may decide to like and trust you. And then... boom!

Dare to share your heart with the world.

Humans buy -- and seek inspiration from -- other humans. By creating content that inspires, entertains, and educates, you build your authority. But don't just share your expertise in the form of teachings. Bring in your personality by sharing your stories.

6. Share your stories.

Humans are wired for stories.

Last night, I attended a social for conscious entrepreneurs, and we started talking about the books we're currently reading. The common consensus was that everyone is tired of the self-help literature. It makes us feel like running on a treadmill of constant improvement. It is stressful and can even reinforce the collective "I'm not good enough" belief we have running through our subconscious minds.

We hunger for stories.

People shared how novels and memoirs have made their way to the top of their nightstands again. I thought it was just me, but no, others feel the same. Our brains crave narratives we can connect with. Use that to your advantage.

Tell your stories to create personal connections with your audience and become memorable. And if you have teachings to share, see how you can weave that into your stories. This way, we're much more likely to listen to and remember you.

7. All of your experience matters.

Before I became a copywriter, I was a love-and relationship coach. Everything changed when I worked with root bark medicine from West Africa. She directed me to stop coaching and focus on writing. Today, 99% of my clients are coaches and consultants, many with a background in tantra and conscious sexuality--just like me.

If I had not worked with coaching all these years, I wouldn't have been able to attract clients who swoon over how much I get them.

What does this mean for you?

It means that whatever you've been through can support you in establishing your authority. Even when I started as a copywriter and brand consultant and I thought, who am I to do this? I still had a decade worth of experience as a coach.

This was super valuable for my clients and helped me establish my authority as a copywriter for other conscious entrepreneurs. So don't discard your prior experience because you think it's not directly related to what do now. It all matters because your experience is what makes you uniquely you.

8. Be consistent.

Have you ever followed someone online who was shooting up into the sky like a rocket but then disappeared a few months or years later? Maybe they gave up because things got difficult, or they just moved on to something else, like a one-hit wonder. How did that make you feel? Like you miss them? Sad that they aren’t there to inspire you anymore?

Don’t be that person.

Keep showing up consistently, and continue to share your ideas. Your voice matters. Don’t think you’re not important because you’re not getting as many likes on Instagram as you would like to.

Give yourself time to build your brand, your authority, and your legacy. The pyramids of Egypt weren’t built in a day. It took decades, but now they’re standing so tall and strong, they pass the test of time. Let that remind you that all things worth creating take time and never give up.

9. Care about others.

This cannot be stressed enough. You’re not into authority building for your own sake, to aggrandize your ego. Your sacred purpose is to help others and the awakening of love in the collective consciousness.

When you focus on how you can serve love, you shift attention away from yourself and towards the bigger picture. Neediness, self-consciousness, or self-doubt will evaporate by your tender loving care.

Becoming an authority in your field is not as much about looking good but how much you can support and inspire others. This will keep you going when you lack motivation or feel stuck and uninspired.

Tony Robbins said that the secret to living is giving, and from experience, I know this is true. There is no greater reward than having someone write you saying that something you said made their day.

10. Speak up and inspire.

Use your voice. It is unique to you – nobody can say things as you do. A common excuse not to share your voice is to think that everything has already been said before, or that other industry leaders can say it better than you.

But here’s the thing:

Someone can hear the same thing eleven times, but it doesn’t land until they get it from you. Maybe it’s because of a story you shared, the way you said it, or your voice and energy that make an idea stick.

Wouldn’t it be a loss if you held back? Someone might miss out on the opportunity to learn something because they didn’t hear it from YOU. So use your voice, speak up, and inspire those you’re meant to inspire.

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