What would success look like for you, without the constant worry of not being good enough?
As motivational speaker Les Brown reminds us, “Life has no limitations except the ones we create.” Choosing an attitude of excellence comes with setting high standards for your quality of work. However, once these expectations are consistently translated into the need to be perfect before any action is taken or decision is made, it could quickly lead to the opposite effect in your efforts to move up and forward. The mind is a powerful thing, and consistent fear of not being good enough can bring about indecision, procrastination and self-doubt. Facebook recognised that problem when they painted the by now famous quote on their office walls: “Done is better than perfect”. Being successful has as much to do with skills and determination, as it has with the “right” mindset.
Position yourself for success and it will come to you.
As soon as you enter the business world, even a similar education and knowledge base quickly develops into a very individual skill set. Your background, your experience, your work style and your insights are qualities that are unique to you. These are the assets you have to contribute; the things that are truly special about you and make you stand out. Make sure you are passionate about what you do, if you are looking for great results. Doing it just for the money or because it was a great offer you could not decline, rarely gets you where you really want to be. And most importantly, do not try to be everything to everybody. Focus your efforts on what you do best, and you will be amazed at the results, you will see.
Create your personal brand.
Viewing yourself as a great, in-demand source for a particular product or service forces you to think about your strengths. A clearly-defined statement of about two to three lines that captures your professional essence will help you communicate it to others, make it easier to market yourself and build your confidence. Do not allow past failures to define your future or who you are, but focus all your energy on the desired outcome, and do not ever give up.
Tap into your support networks
Working in a vacuum is one of the biggest causes of failure in business, and the power of personal and professional networks one of the most overlooked assets. We tend to only look at the individuals in our network as a potential fit for our requirements, but sometimes the bigger question is “Who do they know?” Coming from persons that know and trust you, personal recommendations are an invaluable tool.
Believe in yourself and take action every day
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure” says the Alchemist in Paulo Coelho’s novel of the same name. Focus on your dream. Invest in your continued personal and professional development, keep your network going, challenge yourself with a new goal every day and most importantly, enjoy the journey!
