There’s No “Out There”

Whenever I sit down with someone to film a Human CV interview, I start to notice patterns. Especially from introverts.

Sometimes it comes up in the interview. Other times, it slips into our pre- or post-interview chats. But it’s been said enough now that my brain flagged it and went,

Wait a minute... is that even true?

They say:
“Well, I’m an introvert… but I figured I have to put myself out there.”
It sounds innocent.
But what does that even mean?

“Put myself out there.”

Where is out there?
What exactly are we referring to?
Is it the internet?
A stage?
A job interview?
Social media?
A networking event?

Here’s the thing: There is no such thing as “out there.”
It’s all a perception. It is an idea that you carry that says:
“Now, others will see me as this or that.”

But guess what?
You’re already “out there.”

Every time you interact with someone - your best friend, your boss, the barista at the café, a comment online, the staff at the supermarket checkout or the person next to you in the gym …

You are out there.
You are being seen.
You’re showing up.
You’re visible.
You don’t have to be in the public eye to be seen.
Your life is public enough.

Your neighbors, your family, your community - those people already see you.
That’s their version of you being “out there.”

There’s no button you press when you wake up in the morning that says; “Today I will be visible.”

You already are. Even if you’re the king or queen of a country, people in your closer circle have always seen you. They’ve always known you’re “someone.”

And even global fame?
It’s still relative.
Most public figures - celebrities, politicians, influencers - are only known in certain countries, in certain circles. There are entire populations that have no idea who they are.

And many people just don’t pay attention to certain realms at all.

After working in politics for over a decade, I completely detached from it. I don’t follow the news. I don’t vote anymore. So if I were to bump into a world leader on the street, I probably wouldn’t know who they are. They’d just be another human being to me.

So… what does that say about our obsession with “putting ourselves out there”?
Maybe we’re focused on the wrong thing.

Instead of worrying about your visibility or reach “out there”, maybe the real question is this:
Am I comfortable IN HERE?

Do I like who I am?
Am I proud of how I show up in small moments?
Do I go to bed at night feeling honest, grounded, and at peace with myself?

Because that’s what translates.

Whether you’re speaking to one person or 100,000, it’s your energy, your character, your sincerity that shines through. You don’t need to perform. You just need to be true.

So let’s drop the pressure of “putting ourselves out there.”
You’re already out there.
The real work is inside.