“Do not expect to find yourself using someone else’s map.”
I found this line while “wasting time” looking at sweet cards from Curly Girl Design. (I was supposed to be editing slides for an upcoming WE Inspire. Promote. Network. (WIPN) Texas webinar. Oopsies.)
I loved it. It felt like the possibility of a super cool slide. So, I did what I always do. I made a quick note to come back by printing the email. (Hilariously old school.) And put my nose back into the PowerPoint file.
Since it was a group of industry women, my deep desire was to speak to them woman-to-woman. From what I’ve learned about what it means to be in the financial services industry. To have a brand. To own my voice. It was evident that I needed to cut some slides to make room for new ones. (So, of course, I asked Chatty for help.)
And there they were.
Quotes.
Thoughtful ones. From very-smart, well-known thinkers and authors whose work genuinely shaped parts of my journey. I had placed them there carefully as anchors of credibility. Subtle signals that said, “This isn’t just my perspective. See look! This stuff is validated by really smart people.”
Nothing was wrong with the slides. They were exactly what a “good” professional deck should include. To build credibility with the mostly male audience of financial services, I’ve always included slides from scientists, researchers, and the like. To validate my ideas around emotional intelligence, creativity, and personal branding.
The funny part? ChatGPT was nudging me to remove them. Specifically, it said,
“The quote: ‘Mastery of design, empathy, play…’ It’s smart. It’s credible. But it’s not advancing the room. It’s reinforcing something you’ve already established. Remove it. It’s repetitive. You don’t need borrowed authority in this room. You already communicate this idea beautifully in your own voice.”
You don’t need borrowed authority in this room.
Wowza. I was leaning on “them” (the smart dudes on the slides) instead of leaning into myself. After thirty-plus years in this industry! Thirty years of client conversations, keynote stages, and community building!
And still, instinctively reaching for external validation to support ideas I’ve lived and taught for decades.
Not consciously. Habitually.
Because in financial services, I’ve been trained to respect the bigger map. The “proven model.” The cited experts. My ideas and insights feel so much “safer” when they’re supported; more legitimatized.
Deleting those slides felt extraordinarily vulnerable. Like taking off armor I didn’t realize I was wearing.
Without those references, the ideas were “just” my own. My observations. My experience. My voice. There was a very strong pull to keep the armor.
The question underneath the edits had nothing to do with slide design. It was much more personal:
Do I trust my own authority without citation? I’m still sitting with that one.
Voice. My real voice. Doesn’t emerge from following someone else’s map. It shows up in the strangest of places. In uncomfortable PowerPoint edits. In speaking up. In writing. In the decision to stand more solidly in what I’ve observed, practiced, and earned over time.
Even after decades of experience. Especially after decades of experience!
Maybe that’s what it really means to stop reaching for someone else’s map.
FAQ 1: What does “borrowed authority” mean?
Borrowed authority is relying on quotes, credentials, or outside experts to make your ideas feel legitimate instead of trusting your own earned experience and perspective.
FAQ 2: Why do professionals rely on external validation so often?
In many industries—especially credential-driven ones—people are trained to use “proven models” and cited experts as safety. It reduces perceived risk, but it can also mute your voice.
FAQ 3: How do I know when a quote is helping vs. hiding me?
A quote helps when it introduces a new lens or advances the point. It’s hiding you when it repeats what you already communicate well—used mainly as armor or credibility signaling.
FAQ 4: How can I build confidence in my own authority?
Start by naming what you’ve earned: lived experience, pattern recognition, client conversations, and results. Then practice stating your point plainly—without immediately adding a citation.
FAQ 5: What’s a practical way to “stop reaching for someone else’s map” at work?
In presentations or writing, remove one “borrowed” reference and replace it with a direct lesson you’ve observed yourself—then refine until it feels clear and true in your voice.