“Not Good Enough” Syndrome

Many of the most accomplished executives are plagued with self-doubt. In fact, self-doubt can drive their achievements as they constantly strive to be better, because at some level they believe they’re not good enough. It’s a fine balance, though. Leveraging insecurity can help you achieve more than you thought possible. However, insecurity can easily undermine your confidence and create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

To avoid self-sabotage, identify exactly what belief is driving your behavior. Your insecurity may be because you don’t believe you’re smart enough, or that you’re not worthy. Pay attention to what you say to yourself and others. Are you constantly apologizing or providing excuses in advance (“I’m not sure if this is what you need…”)? Are you signaling a belief to others that you’re unaware of? Are others surprised when you say or do certain things? They may be telling you that your actions do not jibe with what they know of you.

Once you identify the belief that is out of alignment, prove to your subconscious mind that this belief is wrong. In our work we use a 5-step process for replacing an inaccurate belief. The short version is to replace your old thinking with what is true for who you are now. When you hear yourself expressing self-doubt, remind yourself of all that you’ve accomplished, all the contributions that prove that your old belief can’t possibly be true.

Remember, you’re replacing a thinking habit, so you’ll need to focus on evolving your belief in order to replace it. There’s truth to that old adage—act “as if” something is true and it will become so. If you do this, eventually you’ll convince your subconscious mind through the sheer volume of the proof you have. The good news is that self-confidence is something that anyone can develop. Take action to make sure that you accurately represent who you are to others—and yourself.