Sometimes it just seems like we will never be ready or good enough to reach our goals. Corporate consultant Jess Critchlow works to combat this problem of imposter syndrome and help corporate professionals build their confidence and give them the One Big Tip they need to get started on their next great idea.
What Keeps Us From Starting
Jess Critchlow has an impressive background. She has over a decade of experience working in a corporate career of leadership and consulting, has spoken at TEDx events, and a few years ago, started her own business in the field of training leaders in confidence and interpersonal skills. While she has accomplished quite a bit, she recognizes just how hard it is for many to simply take the first step toward something they are interested in pursuing. Because of this, she founded Light Up Work as a way to effectively coach people on how to get stuff done.
The best advice she mentions is to start even when you don’t think you’re ready. She follows this by saying, “The reason that it’s annoying advice is that people go ‘Cool. How do I do that?’ We've all heard that advice, and yet we don't do it.”
Jess identifies the issue of how our brains process as fear and discomfort about new situations, which we then translate into smaller excuses like, “I didn't have enough time, I didn't have the right journal, I lost track of things. I needed a better calendar system.” While these concerns can be valid, they are also evidence of imposter syndrome, which can hinder our pursuits by making us focus on how unprepared we feel instead of what we should be doing to accomplish our goals.
Facing Imposter Syndrome Head On
For those who have identified their struggles with imposter syndrome, Jess provides her One Big Tip to move forward by taking what she calls “stretch actions.”
A stretch action is unique because it causes you to get out of your comfort zone and take action instead of doing something less proactive like simply researching. It’s something that is driving you in the direction of your goals by consisting of three parts. The first is having a clear beginning and end in what you want to accomplish. The second is reaching out to stakeholders who will give you valuable feedback, whether you agree with it or not, that you can use to figure out where and how to take the next steps with your venture. Finally, the most important part of a stretch action is that it should make you a little uncomfortable.
While it doesn’t have to be the most uncomfortable thing, Jess confidently assures that challenging yourself and taking risks in this way is crucial because, if you are too comfortable, you will not start your journey.
To learn more about confidence coaching and about how you can become the go-getter you want to be, you can connect with Jess on Instagram and Facebook under her business name Light Up Work or visit her website at www.lightupwork.com.
