Keep it real.

“Damnit!” I said, loud enough for the secretary to hear.

A minute ago, I had walked into her office, past that shiny No Solicitation sign, and was immediately met with a look that could burn a hole through steel.

And then, just sixty seconds later, I managed to drop my binder, sending my papers flying like it was the last day of school… far and wide. 

“This damn thing… I’m… I’m sorry!” I muttered, scrambling to pick them up.

The secretary smiled.

What had started as an unwanted interruption had suddenly become an interesting interruption.

She’s probably had thousands of salespeople walk into her office.

But how many have walked in, fumbled their stuff like an absolute oaf, and cursed in frustration?

Very few.

And as I was sitting there, muttering to myself while frantically collecting my dignity err papers, I saw her peeking over her desk, trying to suppress a laugh.

“How… how can I help you?”

“Hey, my name’s Tony. I was going to tell you I take care of the drinking water for a couple of your neighbors, but at this point, I might just ask if you have some super glue so I don’t drop my papers again.”

She laughed. And just like that, the ice was officially broken.

Not because I had some fancy sales pitch. Not because I had the perfect elevator speech prepared.

But because I did the one thing that makes people instantly more persuasive.

I just kept it real.

What “Keeping It Real” Actually Means

You hear this phrase all the time. Keeping it real.

But what does that actually mean?

More importantly, why do people love it so damn much?

Like most things, it goes back to human nature. 

Keeping it real just means being authentically honest.

Whatever you would say is what you say.

Think about your best friends—the people you love spending time with. You probably like them because they don’t bullshit you.

They don’t fake laugh at your bad jokes (or they do, but it’s real fake laughing). They don’t pretend to be into things they aren’t. They tell you when you’re being a dumbass, and they aren’t afraid to call you out when you need it.

In other words, they keep it real.

And we all crave that.

Because let’s be honest—most people don’t keep it real.

Instead, they do the opposite. They put on a mask.

The Mask That’s Making Everyone Miserable

If you look at society at large, most people are exhausted.

Why?

Because they’re too busy trying to appear perfect.

People want to seem polished, professional, and put-together. They curate their social media feeds like they’re running a Fortune 500 company. They rehearse conversations in their head before making a simple phone call. They obsess over what people might think about them—so much so that they end up turning into robotic, boring versions of themselves.

And in theory, this should work.

The more polished and proper you are, the more people will take you seriously, right?

Wrong.

Because that’s just not how human nature works.

People don’t connect with perfection.

People connect with honesty.

Because when you’re trying so hard to be polished, you lose the things that actually make people want to listen to you:

• Your real opinions
• Your real vulnerabilities
• Your real personality

Ironically, when you try too hard to be liked, you end up being less likable.

Becasue human nature is a funny mistress.

The Secret to Persuasion: Act Like a Real Damn Person

Keeping it real means embracing the messiness.

It means saying what you actually think instead of what you think people want to hear.

It means accepting that you’re not a flawless, all-knowing superhuman. (Because guess what? Neither is anyone else.)

And that makes you relatable.

You know who people actually relate to?

Not Superman. Not the perfectly put-together influencers on Instagram.

Nope. They relate to Homer Simpson.

Homer is messy. He screws up constantly. He says the wrong thing at the wrong time. He’s sometimes inappropriate, often clueless, and definitely flawed.

And yet, people love him.

Because deep down, we’re all a little bit like Homer Simpson.

We all make dumb mistakes. We all say awkward things. We all drop our metaphorical binders full of papers at the worst possible moments.

And when you’re willing to own that—when you’re willing to be a real person—you become magnetic.

Why This Works in Writing (and Business, and Life)

I once sold for the #1 Reverse Osmosis Company in America.

And let me tell you—if there’s ever been an industry filled with fake, sleazy sales tactics, it’s the water filtration business.

Yet, I was one of the top guys in our office.

Not because I had the best sales script.

Not because I wore the fanciest suit.

But because I didn’t try to be the slick, smooth-talking “Do you wanna buy a watch?” guy.

I just kept it real.

And the same rule applies to writing.

The best writers—the ones people love reading—don’t sound like robots. They don’t try to impress you with big words or complex sentences. They don’t act like they have everything figured out.

Instead, they write like they talk.

They admit when they don’t know something. They make jokes. They tell stories.

And most importantly, they sound like an actual human being.

When you do that, something crazy happens.

People start to trust you.

They feel like they know you.

And in a world full of boring, corporate-speak nonsense, that alone will make you stand out.

How to Keep It Real (Without Sounding Like an Idiot)

So how do you actually do this?

Simple.

1. Be willing to be messy. Your writing doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be real. If you wouldn’t say it in real life, don’t write it.
2. Share your real opinions. Even if they’re a little rough around the edges. Even if they piss a few people off.
3. Embrace the awkward moments. The best stories—the ones that make people laugh, cry, and remember you—come from the times you screwed up, not the times you got everything right.
4. Write like you talk. Seriously. Stop trying to sound smart. Just be you.
5. Accept that not everyone will like you. And that’s okay. There are 8 billion people in the world. You were never gonna please them all anyway.

The moment you stop trying to impress everyone and just start being yourself, something magical happens.

People start paying attention.

They lean in.

They laugh. They nod. They think, Damn, this person actually gets it.

Because when you keep it real, you don’t just become more persuasive.

You become unforgettable.

Please like comment, share and tell me what you think. Do you agree? Would you be interested in writing coaching / mentorship from me?

(1) Tonysbologna | Anthony Robert | Substack