If You're Not Betting on Yourself to Win, No One Else Will
IF YOU'RE NOT BETTING ON YOURSELF TO WIN, NO ONE ELSE WILL
Simone Sloan | Founder at MBY Professional Coach, LLC | @aiminspiregrow
I love competitions, especially as part of a team. You really want your team to finish first. When the stakes are high and you are not sure who’s got your back, you have to bet on yourself to win.
I could not believe my ears as I sat next to a team member who questioned whether or not she should vote “yes” for our team’s idea that was up for discussion. That question would never have crossed my mind. It was not a matter of whether the idea was not good enough, but rather that this professional did not feel comfortable promoting herself, and as a result, our team. I bet on myself. If not me, then who?
I became curious and asked this professional, “if you do not vote for your idea, who will?” She sat there like a deer in headlights. Her natural default was to let the masses decide our fate. People can sense your level of commitment to your business, career, and the actions that you take. Your passion and energy speak volumes. As a result of that level of commitment, people are more likely to invest their time and energy to support you.
How many of us pretend to buy into a company’s vision, goals, or ideas and really never feel truly invested? Some would rather sit on the sidelines—it is a safe place— without taking any risks. If you are not invested in yourself, are you willing to speak out, share ideas, insights, opinions, and opposition? Are you willing to take the risks necessary to move your team or business to the next level?
When our team’s idea was ranked that day, it came in first out of all the other teams’ ideas posted. Not only did I bet on myself, but other teams did as well. As my doubtful teammate viewed the results on the large screen, she was in disbelief. I never asked her whether she voted for our team. However, at the end of the session, she leaned over to me and whispered in my ear, “I will never doubt my ideas and will bet on them from now on, regardless.”
Here are three tips to keep you focused on your greatness and enable you to learn to bet on yourself:
1. Change your mindset. If you constantly focus on the negative aspects of yourself, you are actively training your brain to reject the beautiful qualities that you bring to the table. Accept them and praise them. Accentuate the positive.
2. Reward yourself for the little things. Little actions and tasks accomplished add up to your larger goals. However, if you do not acknowledge yourself for the small things, even when you do not accomplish the larger ones, you may not appreciate your time, effort, and energy invested to get to the end goal. Give yourself small rewards to maintain your motivation.
3. Create a list of all your accomplishments and continually update it.This is an active reminder of your worth. Share your accomplishments with the world.
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Simone Sloan is a Business and Leadership Coach who brings insights to create actions that deliver real business results. As a pharmacist and MBA, she has honed her business skills as a marketer in business and medical communication, global business strategy, and business cross-functional team management.