What if you had nothing to justify?
- Audrey Lessard
- Aug 28
- 4 min read
This text is for you if you've ever hesitated to talk about your difference in a job interview.
ADHD, hypersensitivity, giftedness, anxiety, introversion, an unconventional path... whatever name we give it, the same question often comes up:
“Should I say it or stay silent?”
I was listening to an episode of the Diary of a CEO podcast, hosted by Steven Bartlett, and at one point his guest, Emma Grede, co-founder of Good American and partner at Skims, said a sentence I haven’t been able to forget:
“I never questioned whether I should justify my difference. I’ve always seen it as a strength.”
She was talking about her path as a Woman. Black. British. Thrust into a world that is often very white and male-dominated. And yet, she never saw it as a limitation, because she never accepted to see herself that way.
And right there, in the car, I had a moment of clarity.
What if that was the turning point?
How many times do we walk into an interview carrying this weight on our shoulders:
“I’ll have to explain why I changed fields.”
“I need to justify my unconventional background.”
“I want to mention my ADHD, but not in a way that will close doors.”
And what if the real stress didn’t come from who we are but from feeling like we have to explain ourselves?
The study that struck me
In that same episode, they mention a study done with minority groups.
Before a test, some participants were asked to answer a question about their identity: their gender, ethnicity, or skin color.
The result?
Those who were reminded of their “difference” just before the test systematically performed worse.
Why?
Because that simple reminder triggered inner tension. Extra doubt.
And in a process as charged as a job interview, that changes everything.
You have nothing to justify
And that’s what I want to say to you today.
You have nothing to justify.
Not your path. Not how you function. Not the parts of you that make you whole, unique, alive.
You can, if you want, name what’s present for you. But not to seek forgiveness, not to soften the impact, and not to preempt judgment.
You can name it because it’s part of who you are, and you choose to speak from a place of alignment.
Naming ≠ Justifying
When I say “you have nothing to justify,” I’m not saying you’ll never have to answer a question.
Yes, someone might ask about that career break on your resume.
Yes, someone might question your zigzag path or your different communication style.
Yes, a recruiter might say: “Can you explain this change of direction?”
But here's the difference.
You can answer with clarity. You can explain from a place of alignment.
It’s not the content of your answer that changes everything. It’s your inner state.
It’s the difference between “I want to be accepted” and “Here’s where I stand, and here’s what I bring.”
The real preparation isn’t always in the words
It’s in the posture you choose.
In your breath, the tone of your voice.
Also, in the story you tell yourself before you even walk into the room.
You’re not being evaluated just for what you say, but for what you project. And what you project comes directly from how comfortable you are with yourself.
In an interview, you have nothing to prove
You have a story to share, strengths to name.
And you have the right to choose words that honor you. You can respond without shrinking yourself.
You can explain without apologizing.
You can be transparent, without sacrificing your dignity.
Coming back to yourself, even under pressure
In many life paths, we learn, often very early on, to anticipate what’s expected of us.
To appear polished. To perform well. To respond the “right” way.
Maybe you’ve learned to decode expectations before they’re even expressed. To adjust your words, your tone, your body language.
To play a role just to stay “employable.”
But today, I invite you to something else. I invite you to come back to yourself.
To stop defining yourself based on what others want to hear...
And start choosing what you want to reveal.
You can choose to tell your story without trying to please. You can decide your difference isn’t a burden to justify, but a neutral fact, maybe even a strength to propel you forward.
Most of all, you can learn to answer not just with words, but with your whole presence.
To keep in mind before an interview:
Can I answer this question without sliding into self-justification?
Is my answer coming from fear of being rejected or from a desire to stay aligned?
What do I want them to remember about me, after this interview?
And now?
Breathe. Prepare yourself. Walk into this interview not to convince, but to embody what is most grounded, most true, most alive in you.
Because you have nothing to justify. You simply get to choose how you want to tell YOUR story.
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