For years presentation trainers have touted the need for perfect presentation body language. They’ve taught and written books on the ideal back and shoulder posture, foot placement and angle, hand positioning, finger usage, and calculated movements on stage. All this, they’ve claimed, is necessary in order for the audience to buy your message, and your product.

It’s all garbage.

Pursuing perfection leads to inauthenticity. Think of how most celebrities look after they get plastic surgery. Their aim is to try and maintain an aura of perfection while under the harsh Hollywood microscope. Instead, however, their altered appearance becomes very noticeable and often gets labeled as fake, cheesy, or downright unsightly. By trying too hard to be perfect – to hide their true selves – they lose respect with some of their audience.

Gone are the days where audiences expect, or want, the buttoned-up, uber-slick presenter. It’s no longer about appearing polished, it’s about appearing real. It’s about being real.

My recommendation is to pursue a naturally confident style that’s merely a physical manifestation of the new presentation mindset I’ve talked about in prior posts. Focus on feeling your best, not acting your best. When your mind’s in the right place, your body will follow.

So don’t overthink things. Show people the real you, and you’ll be giving off a totally unique style that can’t be picked up on a library bookshelf. You’ll be authentic, which in turn will make you likeable. And guess what – people buy stuff from people they like.