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Staying True to You
Hardcover
$32.00
Published on Aug 25, 2026 | 304 Pages
A “compelling” (Amy C. Edmondson) and “transformative” (Adam Galinsky) playbook for balancing the pressures of conformity and authenticity, from an award-winning behavioral scientist.
“Just be yourself” is popular advice that most of us hear throughout our lives. But what sounds like simple wisdom is much more complex in today’s world. All too often, we feel a gap between our private selves and how we behave and appear to others in our work and in our relationships. How can we avoid feeling “fake?” And how do we reconcile our instinctive need for belonging with our simultaneous desire to express our authenticity?
Behavioral scientist Dr. Patricia Hewlin explores the delicate dance between authenticity and conformity we navigate daily by drawing from her decades of research. As she uncovers, the pressure to be “real” can be as debilitating as the pressure to stay silent and conform. When we swing too far in either direction, we become drained, plagued by self-doubt, and disengaged.
In Staying True to You, Hewlin introduces the breakthrough concept of the “middle self,” and demonstrates how this in-between persona can allow us to show up in the world, no matter the situation, with confidence and clarity about our values, and peace of mind. When we empower our “middle self,” we can make thoughtful decisions, stop feeding toxic patterns, face demands and pressures head-on, and build a more satisfying relationship with the world around us.
With practical strategies throughout, Staying True to You is an essential roadmap to guide you toward identifying your unique strengths and finding a path to a new, more deliberate, more empowered way of working and interacting with others—essentially a new way of living.
“Just be yourself” is popular advice that most of us hear throughout our lives. But what sounds like simple wisdom is much more complex in today’s world. All too often, we feel a gap between our private selves and how we behave and appear to others in our work and in our relationships. How can we avoid feeling “fake?” And how do we reconcile our instinctive need for belonging with our simultaneous desire to express our authenticity?
Behavioral scientist Dr. Patricia Hewlin explores the delicate dance between authenticity and conformity we navigate daily by drawing from her decades of research. As she uncovers, the pressure to be “real” can be as debilitating as the pressure to stay silent and conform. When we swing too far in either direction, we become drained, plagued by self-doubt, and disengaged.
In Staying True to You, Hewlin introduces the breakthrough concept of the “middle self,” and demonstrates how this in-between persona can allow us to show up in the world, no matter the situation, with confidence and clarity about our values, and peace of mind. When we empower our “middle self,” we can make thoughtful decisions, stop feeding toxic patterns, face demands and pressures head-on, and build a more satisfying relationship with the world around us.
With practical strategies throughout, Staying True to You is an essential roadmap to guide you toward identifying your unique strengths and finding a path to a new, more deliberate, more empowered way of working and interacting with others—essentially a new way of living.
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Author
Patricia Faison Hewlin, PhD
Dr. Patricia Faison Hewlin is an award-winning behavioral scientist with 20+ years of experience researching authenticity and conformity around the world. Currently a Professor of Social-Organizational Psychology at the Teachers College of Columbia, Dr. Hewlin holds her PhD in organizational behavior and MBA in finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Her work has been featured in mainstream media, including the Huffington Post, The Times, Harvard Business Review Online, and Globe and Mail. In addition to her research and teaching, Dr. Hewlin is also a professional consultant who works with major companies, as well as arts organizations.
Learn More about Patricia Faison Hewlin, PhD
