Have you ever felt like you weren’t smart enough or didn’t know enough? Do you ever feel like you are pretending to be something that you are not? Well, you are not alone. Many competent and successful people at some point feel this way. Not because they are, but for a variety of other reasons. In my experience as a coach and as a leader there are three major reasons we experience these thoughts.
SELF CONFIDENCE: Confidence is defined as “freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities” A lack of confidence is destructive to your energy and abilities. If others perceive your lack of confidence this further feeds your own self doubt. Be aware of your internal critic and silence your negative self talk. It only serves to derail your confidence and success. In a future blog entry , I will discuss how to build self confidence.
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE: Sometimes our insecurities are knowledge related or experienced based. If it’s knowledge you lack, take specific action. Taking classes, networking with experts and reading related books can help. And, there is only one way to get experience. As NIKE would say, “Just Do IT! At one time or another we all do something for the first time. Once you have that initial experience behind you, your confidence and knowledge begin to rise quickly.
PERFECTIONISM: Being perfect and knowing everything is not realistic, although many people strive towards it. In leadership and business it is critical to be able to roll with the changes and be flexible. Trying to be perfect can freeze your ability to make decisions and take action. Striving for perfection can also serve to reduce our self confidence when it’s not achieved.
The bottom line is nobody knows “everything” about anything and at some point we all “fake it till we make it” to some extent. The only way we learn is to step out of our comfort zone and try something new.
