As you can imagine, this caught my attention because it’s such a great way to think about our careers. So often, we give other people a chance in situations where we might not give ourselves the same opportunity.
Think of it this way. We can be our harshest critics. We know every weakness that we possess. We know every worry. We know all of the reasons that things might not work out for us. We remember every time we have made a mistake, and just how much it hurt. We may feel like taking a risk just isn’t worth the effort, given the high possibility that we may fail.
But, with the person sitting next to us at work, we don’t know those things. We aren’t aware of every weakness and every worry they have. Very often, we can see their potential without clouding the picture with these details.
However, if we reflect back on ourselves, we also have many good qualities. Perhaps we have a significant amount of industry knowledge and experience. Maybe we have great resources, in the form of mentors. We may have a ton of transferrable skills that we bring to work every day. Or, maybe we’re great at leading others. We may even be more qualified than the person sitting next to us.
If we saw our strengths in another person, we’d likely give that person a real shot. We’d give them the benefit of the doubt. We’d bet our money on their ability to do the work. We would assume they would be successful.
So, rather than get caught up in self-doubt, what if we tried to turn this tide around in 2022? What if we gave ourselves the same benefit of the doubt that we’d give to someone else? What if we let go of our fears? What if we focused in on our strengths rather than our weaknesses?
I bet that if we did these things, work would become a lot easier. We would take risks that today we avoid. We might volunteer more, and step outside of our comfort zone. We might try to increase our knowledge and skillset. And honestly, all of these things might impress our boss and benefit our company overall.
What’s the worst thing that could happen? Sure, we might fail. But, we might succeed. Think about all the great things that could happen if we let go of our fears and bet on ourselves. Keep this in mind as you start 2022, and bet on yourself! You’ve earned it more than that person sitting next to you.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
