“I’ll be confident when I know more.”
This is a statement I hear a lot. And to a certain degree, of course it is true. You have to know your stuff to be confident in what you’re doing.
But at what point do you say “I know enough?” Because there’s always more to know, more to learn. Even “experts” don’t know everything. If we keep predicating our confidence on “knowing more,” will we ever be confident?
Worse yet, are we using the need to know more as an excuse to hold ourselves back from what we can actually achieve?
I’m not suggesting that we don’t need the know-how and we should all just wing it. Knowledge is still important, but it’s only the start. It gets you through the door. At some point, you have to gain confidence, not just in your knowledge, but in yourself and how you show up.
You will face problems and challenges. Sometimes what you know is enough to see you through. But more often than not, it’s how you choose to face the challenge, how you show up that will make the difference.
For myself, some of the characteristics that have helped me show up to challenges are curiosity, empathy, patience and clarity. Leading with these characteristics allows me to gain an understanding of the situation, respond accordingly and build trust along the way. They get me past the challenge to where my knowledge, skills and expertise can come into play.
What are some characteristics that will help you show up better? What would you like to lead with so you have confidence in yourself and how you show up? What do you need to do to move beyond the “know more” trap and start achieving your goals?
