If you're comfortable in your own skin, you might become better at what you do

As I was following my Kansas City Royals' amazing comeback toward their second consecutive ALDS title this week, I ran across this story about how manager Ned Yost has changed his approach in the past few years. 

http://mlb.com/r/article?ymd=20151013&content_id=154325760&vkey=news_kc&c_id=kc

Ned's thoughts on leadership, collegial decision-making are very insightful. What particularly interested me, though, was his decision to let his players create their own routines and traditions, and to allow each player's unique personality to contribute to the team's identity. This quote stuck out to me:

"I think if you're comfortable being who you are instead of trying to be somebody who wants you to be somebody else, you become more successful at [your job]." 

Probably all of us can relate to the experience of trying to be someone we're not in order to fulfill some perceived, or actual, outside requirement. Maybe it's a boss, a significant other, a family member, or a mentor. The point that really came across to me in Ned's quote is that when we develop and embrace a secure sense of our own identity, not beholden to anyone else, we will have much more energy, drive, and vision to pursue our particular mission.  

I could go quite a few places with this, but I think for now I'll leave it there.