Riches of Authentic Interactions

What’s up, neighbors? Welcome back! My name is Jeremy Guge, and I’m really glad you’re here. We talk about all kinds of random stuff here, but today, inspired by my last video, I’m kicking off a new series. This is Part 2, where I try to be as authentic, natural, and honest as possible—no cuts, no B-roll, no jumps. I’m just in it, right? You get the mistakes, the failures, all of it.

I’ve got my iPad here with some notes on it. I’ve got four key points I want to make sure I don’t miss, so I’ve left myself a little reminder just to be safe. That’s the extent of my help today. So if you’re here, this won’t be flashy—obviously. But I hope you stick around because I think what we’re talking about today is important, and it might even be a little controversial for some people.

Let’s jump right in. The topic for today is The Riches of Authentic Interaction. What I mean by that is: being authentic costs us nothing, but the value and rewards it produces are priceless. It costs you zero dollars to be genuine. It takes no extra time or effort to just be you—uncut, unfiltered, just you. It costs you nothing. Yet, sometimes we box ourselves in, thinking that if we’re not always adding value, we’re not doing something right. But the truth is, by freely offering this part of ourselves without asking for anything in return, we get so much in return. And that can be incredibly rewarding.

Now, when I say "rewarding," I’m not just talking about monetary gain. Sure, if you’re on platforms like YouTube, there’s a possibility for monetization. But the real reward here, the most valuable thing we gain, is emotional. We can tap into a deeper part of ourselves and become more vulnerable as a whole. That’s the first point I want to touch on.

Secondly, when we give ourselves the freedom to be who we truly are and approach our work, our life, our relationships boldly, unapologetically, and fearlessly, everyone grows. That’s a bit of a mouthful, but here’s the summary: When we approach the things we care about—whether it’s work, life, or relationships—without limitations, those things can grow without bounds. And doing things like this—being authentic on camera, for example—helps us grow. It’s tough to be genuine on camera; we often feel like we have to put on a persona, make it polished, make sure it sounds right. But I don’t care about that. I want to connect with you on a more human level. Even if this series only lasts four or five videos, I hope it can help me carry this authenticity forward into all my content, where it’s not about just selling you the next camera but about having a meaningful conversation. I want our conversations to have more substance.

Another way we grow by being authentic is in our confidence. When we get used to doing things that are hard, over time, they get easier. That’s true for sports, academics, and pretty much anything we care about and work to improve. The same goes here. If we invest in ourselves and our time, we build confidence. We get more comfortable with who we are and what we do. It’s no longer awkward, and even when we stumble, we give ourselves permission to do so and not feel bad about it. I’m not perfect, and my videos won’t be perfect—but that’s part of it. The more we lean into being ourselves, the easier it gets.

Once we get that confidence, it becomes easier to be consistent. We’re more comfortable in what we’re doing, and it’s easier to get excited about it. Consistency becomes second nature.

Lastly, being authentic allows us to tap into a deeper level of understanding about ourselves. Intellectually, emotionally, and even physically—being authentic opens doors to deeper growth. It’s not about becoming more “deep” in a philosophical sense, but more about unlocking parts of ourselves that we’ve had closed off for a while.

Thirdly, mindful practice of being genuine helps remove the walls we build up to protect our egos and perceptions of others. This enables us to be more honest with ourselves, those who care about us, and our time. We have to be honest about what we need, what we want, and what we’re capable of. For example, if someone invites me to do something, and I’m genuinely not interested, I need to be able to say, “No, thanks.” That’s hard for me because I’m naturally a people pleaser. I like to make sure everyone is happy, but I also need to protect my time and energy. It’s okay to say no, even if it’s difficult.

And lastly, here’s a tough one: We’re far less important than we think we are—and that’s a good thing. I know this sounds negative, but it’s actually the opposite of that. If we can accept that we’re not as important as we sometimes think, it frees us from unnecessary pressure. I’m not important on YouTube. I don’t pretend that I am. But that gives me the freedom to make the content I want to make, without worrying about following trends or checking algorithmic boxes. That freedom gives me more confidence, and it allows me to be more authentic.

With less pressure, we can tap into deeper understanding, and that leads to better situations for everyone around us. When I take care of myself and understand my needs, I’m better able to take care of the people around me. And I’m learning to do that more and more.

So, that’s it. No BS. I hope this was helpful to someone. If not, that’s okay too because it was helpful to me. It feels good to get this stuff off my chest. I’ve got another video coming soon about social media and why I think we both need a break from it, in the same spirit of this video. If that interests you, please come back for it.

Until then, thanks for being here. I’ll see you next time!