I was listening to a Foundr podcast a while back and Nathan Chan was talking about becoming your own number one fan. This can be a challenging concept because people, generally speaking, are so damn self-critical. As an entrepreneur, or a professional working your way up the corporate ladder, it’s so important to have self-belief, because let’s face it, if you didn’t have any at all, you may as well give up.
But even with a strong sense of self belief, fears and doubts can creep in and these fears and doubts can become limiting beliefs that can seriously impede your success.
We have also been taught from an early age to be modest. Society doesn’t encourage confidence. If you show self-assurance, you may be considered stuck up by your peers. But there is a huge difference between being confident in who you are and your ability to succeed, and being arrogant. In no way am I endorsing arrogance but I sure as hell am encouraging you to be your own number one fan.
The significance of this notion has become more and more clear to me in recent times. I have recently made huge changes in my life, jumping out of the corporate world and diving head first into the realm of entrepreneurship. Leaving the security of a full time job is scary, particularly when you’re in a good job, with good people, that pays well. I deliberated for quite some time but for me it came down to priorities and a burning desire to achieve more.
Everything was going well, I was incredibly busy with lots of projects on the go but nothing was moving forward. I was also burning the candle at both ends. I was in the office all day, racing to teach a few hours of Pilates after work (which is when I would come alive) having a super late dinner if I could be bothered, and squeezing in a few extra hours of work trying to make a family business thrive, before collapsing into bed.
I was juggling it all pretty well, I wasn’t unhappy, but I knew at some point in the near future something was going to have to give. I also knew that if I didn’t make a change, I was going to stay exactly where I was and it dawned on me that I was not OK with that. I wasn’t working my backside off to achieve mediocrity. So like I said, I deliberated for a while. What was stopping me?
Thoughts like ‘what if I can’t make it work’ entered my head, which I dismissed until another doubt crept in. Goal strategist Mardy Penrose asked me why I was doubting myself, and I didn’t have an answer. She said to me quite simply ‘you need to back yourself.’ I thought back to that podcast and thought, damn straight I do – if I don’t back myself then who will? My friends and family were all unbelievably supportive, and still are, but external support means nothing if you don’t believe that you’ve got what it takes to achieve what you’re setting out to achieve. I have embraced Nathan Chan’s concept and since I decided to be my own number one fan I have felt really excited about my future.
Whatever is that you are working on, if you are about to embark on a new adventure or you striving to get a promotion, back yourself. Know in your heart of hearts that you deserve it.
This week I want you to find a mantra that is your own; something that inspires you or fires you up. Perhaps you don’t believe it today, you may even feel a little silly to start with but I want you to say it to yourself every morning for a week and hopefully you can start to really believe it.
Remember – back yourself, because if you don’t, who will?
