Quote · On Purpose with Jay Shetty
Riz Ahmed: How to Silence Your Inner Critic (And Build REAL Self Worth)
Where this was said
The Gap Between Who You Are and Who You Present
At 23:37 · chapter starts 22:31
Jay raises the central metaphor of Bait: that life feels like one big audition. Riz unpacks why this is true beyond the acting world. The attention economy has made visibility synonymous with value, so everyone — from LinkedIn profiles to Zoom calls to Instagram feeds — is constantly performing a version of themselves they think others want to see. [1] — Riz Ahmed "We are all performing a version of ourselves we think people want. Social media and the attention economy made our value synonymous with ou…" 23:10 He is honest that he hasn't cracked this, but describes moments where he simply forgets himself and falls into flow — ironically the moments when things work best. Both he and Jay grapple with the specific paradox of doing spiritual or authentic work in a digital medium where people are watching. The discussion surfaces the idea of performative vulnerability — appearing open while still optimising for approval — as distinct from genuine dropping of the mask.
We are all performing a version of ourselves we think people want. Social media and the attention economy made our value synonymous with our visibility. Riz Ahmed built an entire show around this idea — and he still can't fully escape it himself.
