Authentic people respond to their intrinsic motives. They exercise autonomy, dismiss introjected regulations, and choose one of the extrinsic motives accessible to them. Their thoughts, beliefs, words, and actions originate deep from within and therefore, are accurate and secure enough to resist negative external pressures. The result is an authentic, quiet, deep, vitalizing, serene, and lasting fulfillment and confidence without anxiety, self-doubt, or other types of stress.

Authentic people choose authentic alternatives. These generally include wisdom, true beliefs, valid conclusions, purposeful actions, candor, trust, placing needs in front of wants, knowing when they have enough, balancing gratification with hedonism, quick actions, treating others humanely, and establishing balanced relationships. We become authentic when the path we choose through life is congruent with who we are.

The alignment is essential to an authentic person. Actions aligned together with one’s authentic self are authentic behaviors. Actions misaligned with one’s authentic self are alien, false, fake, pretentious, aggravating, insincere, deceptive, tense, bogus, fake, and never authentic. This will be typical of an individual who is misaligned, off balance, exhausted, estranged, separated, and faking it. When everything one does is fully aligned with who one is, the person will be an authentic person. Authentic people “do who they are” and enjoy gratification, peacefulness, achievements, and worth. Authentic people act with an increase of interest, pleasure, and self-esteem and sometimes demonstrate better efficiency, perseverance, creativeness, vitality, self-esteem, and general well-being. Authenticity decreases worry, stress, shame, and embarrassment.