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It’s no longer the first of the year… and as you get back into the swing of things, that excited and motivational energy can start to fade.
Those familiar doubts may start to creep in again…
– Those goals I set were really ambitious… I’m not sure I can actually achieve them.
– I was hoping this year would feel different, but as I return to work… everything feels like it’s preventing me from progressing.
– Shoot… this is harder than I thought. Can I really keep it going?
And – it’s OK. Your brain is built with an automatic negativity bias. It tries to protect you to keep you from getting hurt by risking too much.
And it keeps us safe – but it doesn’t let us soar.
But you can build back that confidence – that boldness you felt in the beginning of the year.
"Your success will be determined by your own confidence and fortitude."
Here’s 7 steps how:
1. Make a list of 10 strengths.
Include 2-3 super strengths.
Include 5-8 things you do well.
Include hard skills and soft skills.
Use personality tools to help, such as 16personalities.com.
2. Ask trusted friends, co-workers and family what they appreciate about you.
Learn more about what you do well, that you may take for granted.
Listen without judgment or self-criticism. Collect verbatim.
3. Recall 5 challenges you’re most proud of overcoming.
These can be achievements, a role you played, or decisions you made.
4. List what helped you through those challenges.
These situations can help you identify:
• People that supported you
• Approaches you took
• Tools you used
5. Combine the info from 1-4 to create a Personal Value Description (PVD).
Think of a PVD as a perfect job description for you, without a specific job.
This can be a resume, a ‘brave book’.
This is your value, written out in detail.
6. Put this in a place where you can easily access and read often.
Print it out – make a physical copy.
Save it on your phone with a shortcut link.
Even set a weekly or daily reminder to read.
Doing this is not selfish.
It’s a way to shift your brain away from its natural negative bias and build self-appreciation.
7. Rinse, repeat, and watch your confidence grow!
“Your success will be determined by your own confidence and fortitude.”
– Michelle Obama
American Attorney and Author, former first lady of the United States
