Someone tells you that you did a great job, and what’s the first thing coming out of your mouth?
OH NO BIGGIE, BARB, IT WAS NOTHING, REALLY—NO WORRIES, LEAST I COULD DO!
We’re quick to diminish our efforts because taking credit for all the things somehow feels self-important; braggy; boastful; full-of-herself. Do this enough times, though, and not only will your accomplishments become minimized; your ability to sell yourself will, too. Because here’s the thing:
Making money requires you to tell the world what you are damn good at.
If you can’t do that, then guess what? No one will ever know. As much as we hope the rest of the world will “see us” and “notice us” and “discover us,” the truth is that Becky, Billy and Bob are busy with their own lives. They need you to tell them. They need you to be willing to declare your worth.
The challenge? Most people are humble little lovebugs. It’s uncomfortable to seek applause. It’s embarrassing to desire credit. But just like it would be foolish for a dolphin to deny she is a phenomenal swimmer, it’s equally foolish for you to downplay the things that you are winning at.
So here’s a fun exercise: Make a WINS list and give yourself credit where credit is due, every single day for a month. Today, I signed two new clients whose business will result in $30,000 additional revenue this year. Today, I wrote an awesomely creative pitch for a magazine. Today, I stopped offering a service that was making me miserable. Today, I got twenty-five new subscribers to my website.
Every day, you list your micro wins.
Every day, you see proof of your own accomplishments.
Every day, you become a little bit more self-assured.
And every day, you begin to see patterns of your own success; the things that you can then turn around and say, with all the confidence in the world:
I’m great at that.
Because sometimes, it’s not a matter of humility.
Sometimes, you don’t even know what you do best, until you stop to notice.