If someone had said to me 20 years ago that I would one day, be the MD of my own, successful business, seriously, I would have laughed out loud!
Not because the suggestion is outrageous-just that, well, it would have been outrageous for me to achieve that. You see I was never one of those people who oozed confidence and actually had very little confidence in my own ability at one time. I didn’t like being the odd one out at school (when you’re young, you want to be in the cool gang) and I wasn’t cool or trendy, or even pretty for that matter. I had a funny name that the teachers used to pronounce wrong –causing the other kids to laugh, I qualified for ‘free school meals’ because we were poor-and I was embarrassed, to top it all I looked foreign-and, damn it, the boys were only interested in the blondes! In my school years I didn’t have reason to feel confident –I needed evidence but couldn’t find it.
It’s an inside job
But when I started working-I did find evidence. I was doing a job I enjoyed, and although only a trainee-I acted like I’d been there for years and knew what I was doing (I didn’t). I’d stumbled upon some of my key ingredients to standing out- ‘act as if you are doing the job you want to get’. Doing that, on it’s own, sounds like it could be really annoying for people you work with-but not when it’s mixed together with more of my key ingredients:
I was still humble and respectful, and I worked my little socks off to do a good job. And then I tried hard to be the one who was positive and pleasant to deal with –even if I didn’t feel like it. You don’t have a team when you’re a junior-but, I tried to imagine what I’d be like as a manager, setting a good example.
My confidence grew with each promotion I got, and I realised that all of it was planted and grown on the inside. I ‘imagined’ my evidence before I got it and that gave me all the confidence I needed. Throughout the rest of my life (and still now) I have goals-the things I next want to achieve. I’ve always dreamed big, not always about money and trappings-more about achievements. What’s the point of dreaming small when you want big?
Could never understand that!
My early years taught me a lot. I know what it’s like to struggle, and not have much. That’s why I like saying to people:
‘It doesn’t matter where you’re from-it’s where you’re going that counts’
.
It seems ironic that now, I know how to immediately help make people –many of them strangers-feel good. That’s not because I give people a load of ‘flannel’-I don’t believe in it (well I am from Yorkshire). No, it’s because I’m a damn good coach. I’ve learned how to find and help bring out a persons ‘special something’. Everybody has something special -it’s just that most people go through life not knowing what theirs is-and more importantly, how to use it.
And I absolutely walk my own talk-I now have a pretty nifty ability to ‘turn up the volume’ on my own confidence level. I’ve learnt how to become an expert at treading in scary waters.
Self assured, know where I’m going and practise what I preach.
God damn it- that sounds good! .. And Wow, some turn around eh?
But listen- I hate to admit it, yep- anyone can do this.
Not many do though.. Why? Because it’s not easy.......that's why you picked up this book.
To be continued...
Amana
Straightforward coach.
http://www.walkahead.co.uk/
Not because the suggestion is outrageous-just that, well, it would have been outrageous for me to achieve that. You see I was never one of those people who oozed confidence and actually had very little confidence in my own ability at one time. I didn’t like being the odd one out at school (when you’re young, you want to be in the cool gang) and I wasn’t cool or trendy, or even pretty for that matter. I had a funny name that the teachers used to pronounce wrong –causing the other kids to laugh, I qualified for ‘free school meals’ because we were poor-and I was embarrassed, to top it all I looked foreign-and, damn it, the boys were only interested in the blondes! In my school years I didn’t have reason to feel confident –I needed evidence but couldn’t find it.
It’s an inside job
But when I started working-I did find evidence. I was doing a job I enjoyed, and although only a trainee-I acted like I’d been there for years and knew what I was doing (I didn’t). I’d stumbled upon some of my key ingredients to standing out- ‘act as if you are doing the job you want to get’. Doing that, on it’s own, sounds like it could be really annoying for people you work with-but not when it’s mixed together with more of my key ingredients:
I was still humble and respectful, and I worked my little socks off to do a good job. And then I tried hard to be the one who was positive and pleasant to deal with –even if I didn’t feel like it. You don’t have a team when you’re a junior-but, I tried to imagine what I’d be like as a manager, setting a good example.
My confidence grew with each promotion I got, and I realised that all of it was planted and grown on the inside. I ‘imagined’ my evidence before I got it and that gave me all the confidence I needed. Throughout the rest of my life (and still now) I have goals-the things I next want to achieve. I’ve always dreamed big, not always about money and trappings-more about achievements. What’s the point of dreaming small when you want big?
Could never understand that!
My early years taught me a lot. I know what it’s like to struggle, and not have much. That’s why I like saying to people:
‘It doesn’t matter where you’re from-it’s where you’re going that counts’
.
It seems ironic that now, I know how to immediately help make people –many of them strangers-feel good. That’s not because I give people a load of ‘flannel’-I don’t believe in it (well I am from Yorkshire). No, it’s because I’m a damn good coach. I’ve learned how to find and help bring out a persons ‘special something’. Everybody has something special -it’s just that most people go through life not knowing what theirs is-and more importantly, how to use it.
And I absolutely walk my own talk-I now have a pretty nifty ability to ‘turn up the volume’ on my own confidence level. I’ve learnt how to become an expert at treading in scary waters.
Self assured, know where I’m going and practise what I preach.
God damn it- that sounds good! .. And Wow, some turn around eh?
But listen- I hate to admit it, yep- anyone can do this.
Not many do though.. Why? Because it’s not easy.......that's why you picked up this book.
To be continued...
Amana
Straightforward coach.
http://www.walkahead.co.uk/
