4 Confidence Traps To Avoid As Women In Business

With the start of a new year, it’s natural to reflect on how you’re going to be happier, more effective or achieve more in the coming year.

To be successful in business, women need their confidence to be at least equal to their competence.

With my clients who struggle with confidence, I commonly see these 4 confidence traps that they can fall into. The result is increasing amounts of self-doubt, and missing out on valuable opportunities.

Trap 1 : Fear of Failure

We would all like to succeed in our work, but is a fear of failure stopping you from taking on new projects or putting yourself out there?

It’s worth being curious about what it is you fear will actually happen if things go wrong, and what the effect would be on you.

Are you actually just scared about how bad you’ll feel? Then remember thoughts and feelings are only transitory and that they will soon pass.

Trap 2: Lack of fulfillment

 If you feel dissatisfied at work, and that your talents and skills aren’t being used. It can lead to you disengaging from your work and lacking confidence.

If this is you, then focus on the successes you are having at work rather than the things that you find boring. Keep a record of the achievements you’ve made to maintain your positivity and engagement in your business.

If this doesn’t work then it might be the right time to look for something new

Trap 3: Negative, unpleasant or intimidating colleagues

 I’m sure we’ve all come across some of these in our careers and they can really knock your confidence.

It’s not possible to change another person, but you can change yourself, which may alter the dynamic between the two of you.

Take an honest look at your behaviours and assumptions when you’re around them. Is there anything you could change for the positive?

If the situation still doesn’t change then I suggest you remember that it’s about them and not you personally, and if it’s a real problem you can take action.

Trap 4: Listening to you inner critic

 Women who are particularly high achievers can suffer the most with perfectionism or have a loud and hurtful inner critic.

This inner voice with its disruptive comments about your abilities or what others think of you, can do the greatest damage to your confidence.

Realise that this voice is just thoughts popping into your mind and that mainly they’re untrue. So it is possible to ignore them or distract yourself.

One method is to ‘get out of your head’ and actively focus on other people. This means you’re listening to your critical voice less and are really present for others or your work.

Good luck for a confident 2017 and please share my article to help other women have one too.

Jo