The Confidence You Need
I have a long-time coaching client who’s been very thoughtful about their career. They’re an immigrant to this country and reflect the hard work ethos of so many immigrant families — including mine. They prioritize and honor their value of financial stability.
If you were to ask this client about their long career path, their response would draw you in. They’d give you a clear, compelling explanation of each step, creating a coherent dance. Listening in, you'd find the sensibility of each decision admirable.
Their operating model has been to build and execute against a well thought out career plan. That method has worked, mostly. Until recently.
What went wrong
Like so many of us, life threw this client a big wrench. This wrench impacted their ability to execute as they always have. The predictability and consistency of their work is no longer possible. And the wrench hit at a point in their career they've sought since the beginning. The next rung in the ladder they’ve climbed is sought after by thousands and given to few.
That next rung meant a lot to them. They'd held it as the point when they'd finally be able to divert some of their resources to their real dream. That dream now felt at risk.
How it rocked their world
Until this point, this client attributed most of their success to having that great plan. The foundation of their confidence was their ability to identify each next step, then drive toward each with clear intention and focus.
The wrench hindered their inner drive muscle. It rocked their confidence. They began to face the next step with dread rather than clarity and anticipation. They didn’t recognize themself.
The desire for confidence
So many of you find your way to our programs holding a desire to increase your confidence. Some of you are a lot like this client. You’ve had confidence before, but you’ve hit a plateau, ceiling or crossroads. Your previous approach to work no longer feels like it’s working. Your confidence is harder to find.
Or maybe you've never felt confident in any consistent way. You’ve long held a worry that people would one day discover your lack of knowledge or credibility.
Most of you believe you should have confidence before taking action.
All of you want confidence in the next step of your path.
We want something different for you.
The confidence we want for you
The picture I painted above about the predictability of a career path is a rare exception. Inherent in nearly 100% of people’s career paths is uncertainty and surprise.
Knowing that, confidence that relies on knowing your next step is temporary. Even if it works out with this step or the next, it'll expire. You’ll reach a point where what's next is murky or what you'd previously wanted no longer feels available.
The confidence we want to instill in you is confidence in your ability to navigate your path — any path.
That type of confidence takes the pressure off getting it right and allows for your path to change.
Those changes may be wrenches, like with my client. But they may also be opportunities larger than what you could have imagined.
Call for reflection:
Reflect back on your career so far. Could you have predicted where you are today? What's one strength you have that’s served you on your path so far? Remember that.
Shine On,
Alicia