Are You Confident?
MAY 7TH, 2021
A lot of people want to make a difference, but few actually do. What stands in their way? They lack the confidence to take the risks that lead to success. In order to be an effective leader, you need to have the mindset of success - only then will you be able to convince a whole team of people to do their best work, too.
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Getting past the anxiety and fear of messing up as a leader can be tricky. Very few people are naturally gifted with the ability to communicate, relate, and listen to people in an effective way. For the rest of us, getting into ‘leadership mode’ requires us to constantly step outside of our comfort zone, and work hard to stay in touch with what our followers need from us.
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Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make the seemingly impossible totally possible.
The first is to identify your passion. In order to rise above expectations that you have of yourself (and others might have for you), your work needs to involve something you’re passionate about. What excites you? What keeps you motivated?
Recognize that many people won’t be as proactive as you. Don’t be surprised when people complain yet don’t do anything about it. Not everyone is cut out to be a leader. If you see a problem, find a way to fix it.
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Rethink the way you think about risk. Every time you wonder why someone else isn’t doing something, it’s easy to assume that it’s because there might be a risk involved. In reality, most people just don’t want to put the work in to create something. If you have a good idea, dive in. Don’t assume that there’s more risk involved than there is. Get started anyway. Another word on risks - betting on yourself is always safer than betting on the actions of others.
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Don’t try to be liked, aim to be respected. Leaders make decisions, and not all of them are well-received. Someone will always be there to criticize you, NO MATTER WHAT, so don’t let yourself get caught up in the way others speak of you.
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The time to make a difference is NOW. The time to lead is NOW. Don’t wait for permission - if you do, you’ll be waiting for a long time. In the next 24 hours, plan to do something that will make you feel good about the way you spent your day. Do something productive that adds to your overall quality of life, perhaps it’s something you’ve been putting off for a while. Maybe you’ll write a blog post. Maybe you’ll plan a trip. At every given opportunity, practice saying ‘yes’ to yourself, especially if it will help you grow as a person.