Authority Is Self-Created

Authority Is Self-Created
By Lisa Riesner
The Day I Stopped Selling Myself Out We grow up thinking authority is given. That someone older, louder, richer, or with a badge, a mic, or a brand bestows it on us. But I learned the truth the hard way.
Authority is a creative act. It is something you become the moment you refuse to betray yourself again.
This is not just an article. This is liberation.
The Day I Chose Myself
I had built with devotion and commitment. I showed up for months, created, held space, and people still left. No thank you. No conversation. Just, "I'm moving on."
I had been charging an unreasonably low price, telling myself it was to meet the financial situation of my clients. What I learned is that their financial situation was directly tied to their level of commitment.
In that moment something inside me did not collapse. It clicked. "They are not disrespecting me. I have been disrespecting myself by tolerating it. And that ends now."
There was no need to argue, justify, or beg. Just clarity. I wrote the new fee, higher, aligned, the same as my other clients. Because I do not run a charity. I run a legacy.
That day, the game changed. Not just for them, but for me.
Authority Isn't Something You Have. It's Something You Do.
Authority is not a title you hold. It is action you take. It is speaking the boundary you once avoided. It is saying no where you once said, "It's okay." It is walking away from money that costs your integrity.
And when you do, everything shifts. Your pricing aligns. Your clients rise. Your nervous system exhales.
The Science Agrees
Psychologist Robert Cialdini calls it commitment consistency bias, when we say yes publicly, we are wired to follow through. That is how trust forms.
Brené Brown reminds us: "Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind."
Byron Katie asks: "Whose business am I in?" If I am worried whether someone likes me for setting a boundary, I am in their business, not mine.
Tony Robbins calls it raising your standards. I call it coming home to yourself.
The Feminine Wound Around Authority
As women, especially sensitive and soulful women, we are conditioned to be nice, flexible, and grateful someone is even showing up. But real leadership does not beg. Real leadership does not apologize for its standards.
Every time I undercharged, I was secretly saying, "I do not fully believe in the power of this work." Clients felt it. They treated it like a hobby, not a holy container.
The Real Turnaround
Byron Katie asks: "Who would you be without the thought: I need this client to stay?"
I would be free. And I am.
I raised my rate to what honors the level I coach at: €250 per session. If you want in, you rise to meet that. If not, may you find what you need elsewhere. There is no shame, but there is also no discount.
You Can Create Authority Right Now
I am not special. I just decided to stop betraying myself. And you can too.
Ask yourself:
Where have I tolerated disrespect in the name of being "nice"?
Where have I undercharged to be more "accessible," only to lose my energy in the process?
Where have I let fear of losing money shape how I lead, price, or speak?
Create Your Authority Today
Now ask: What would change if I created my own authority today?
This was the moment I stopped people-pleasing. This was the moment I chose legacy over likeability. This was the moment I created myself as an authority.
And nothing has been the same since.
Lisa Riesner
Lisa Riesner is a business coach and transformational life coach that supported over 800+ Clients to build their business, mindset and legacy.
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