Managing Self-doubt when you Accomplish Professional Goals
Recently, I achieved a professional goal that I have been working towards for many years – I became a people manager again. I was a people manager in my last company and wanted to go back to managing a team. This huge accomplishment came with many mixed emotions for me. The first emotion I felt was excitement that my professional dream had come true, and then the feelings of self-doubt started to creep in.
In this blog post, I will share the five tips that are helping me navigate and enjoy this phase of my professional life. I am writing this post as a reminder for myself and valuable tips for anyone out there who is working through similar experiences.
#1: Celebrate your accomplishments
When my manager sent the email to my team announcing that I was becoming a Manager, I had a smile on my face and was very happy. My journey to get here was a multi-year process that was not smooth or straightforward. I knew that I needed to celebrate this significant milestone. However, it felt easier to keep moving as if everything was normal. The good thing was that I got to spend some time with my family, and they celebrated my accomplishment with me.
Why is this important?
Celebrating your accomplishment tells your mind that it is real
#2: Accept the trust that people have in your abilities
Self-doubt makes you think you don't deserve to be where you are or accomplish something big. It helps to get extra confirmation from people you trust. In my case, the people telling me that I will be great in my new role have worked with me for years and know my work. I have decided to listen to them and believe their kind words. It is very easy to brush off the positive things that people say about you because we think they don't mean it as a way to diminish our contributions.
Why is this important?
Hearing other people's confidence in your abilities helps you believe in yourself even more
#3: Acknowledge your emotions
Over the past weeks, I have had multiple emotions – happiness, overwhelm, excitement, and more. Right now, the emotions I feel are mostly a sense of responsibility because I want to do right by my team. I want to be the best manager that they need to feel valued, respected, and that they can thrive professionally. Over my journey, I have learned that it is important to acknowledge when I am feeling self-doubt and causing myself not to enjoy a key milestone.
Why is this important?
Knowing what you are feeling gives you clarity and the ability to deal with your emotions
#4: Set your goals and gain clarity of where you want to go
One of the effects of self-doubt on me is that I get too scared to think about the future. Many people who talk about their imposter syndrome will tell you that it stops them from envisioning a time when they accomplish even bigger things. When something big happens, I worry about the increased responsibilities and my desire to over-achieve. Setting goals helps me plan for the future and get concrete about the steps I will be taking to accomplish them.
Why is this important?
Writing down what you want to accomplish makes it seem achievable
#5: Believe in yourself and make bold moves on your journey
As much as your mind might be telling you that you don't deserve to be here, the truth is that you have worked very hard to accomplish everything you have. It takes a lot of self-talk and continuous personal work to guard against self-doubt. You need to keep making bold moves and not let self-doubt stop you from accomplishing great things.
Why is this important?
Believing in your skills and abilities will help you accomplish great things
Final Thoughts
If you feel overwhelmed by the great things happening in your life, you are not alone, and it is perfectly fine. Although I am very excited about my journey ahead, I am still actively walking through self-doubt. I'll keep you all posted on my progress in this new phase of my journey.
