A former client, Joe, was a young man in his twenties who had just graduated from college. He had begun his career in banking, where he had been hired on six months ago. Joe came to see me as he was needing some help to figure out where he wanted to go with his career. He was trying to decide if wanted to go for a supervisor position, which he was eligible for, or if he should stay in his current position. In exploring Joe’s thoughts, he really wanted to begin his assent up the corporate ladder but he did not feel he was ready. He admitted that his immediate supervisor was the one who encouraged him to apply for the position but he was doubting his qualifications or his readiness for the position.
I find Joe’s hesitancy to be rather common, how unfortunate that sounds. Having a lack of confidence in your readiness equates to a lack of trust or awareness in your skills and abilities. These are times that are presented in the form of opportunities to grow and move outside of our comfort zone. We get so used to doing things one way that something new feels awkward and uncomfortable. But, over time, we get more comfortable and, essentially, grow into the expert at what we feared in the first place.
Joe found this to be true. Through challenging his thoughts, setting small, workable goals, and visualizing a positive outcome gave Joe the incentive to apply for the the supervisor position, which he did get and is excelling at. Joe learned some good skills to keep him from thinking he wasn’t ready for any challenge and to trust in himself more. He is taking the slow and steady path that will lead to successful outcomes for both his personal and his professional life. Follow Joe’s lead and you can, too!
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