How you keep selling yourself short

I’m part of a business coaching program that’s working me through some of the most interesting discovery I’ve ever done as a business owner – my Quiet Power Strategy. I get to dive into my unique perspective, distinct value, talents, passions and so much more. In addition, I frequently put myself into the shoes of my most valued client to really understand her desires and dreams. Insights galore!

The best thing is that I get to use all of these tools with all my clients so they can put the best of themselves forward.

The whole paradigm of your business changes when you know exactly what you are helping people achieve and why it’s so valuable to them. 

It’s like gold. It’s there, it’s worth a lot and yet you often can’t see it.

The other perspective we take is what doesn’t work for us. There is a wealth of knowledge (content, conversation, innovation) in knowing what you need to let go, steer away from and stand by. Through my own enquiry I’ve discovered that my biggest frustration with people is when they sell themselves short.

Selling yourself short shows up everywhere. It shows up in what we choose to even strive for, in relationships and with a magnifying glass in our businesses. Here’s what it can look like:

Amanda sells herself short by not following through on her big moves. She likes to start things but doesn’t finish them. And you know where that gets you – exactly where you are now. Not seeing through things to success wears down her confidence and has her going into avoidance mode and thus not putting consistent love and energy into her business. It’s a never-ending impulse-avoidance cycle.

Nathan sold himself short by not owning his personal brand. A local hero, he had a huge personal following (that he wasn’t monetizing) and he was hesitating to weave that into his business. It was challenging because people want the personality behind the business and it was his unfair advantage that wasn’t being realized. Without that he wasn’t being noticed. Once he made the commitment to owning his brand, his revenue soared.

Katherine sells herself short by charging less than what she is worth. She was afraid of disappointing people, yet when she realized her own worth her clients actually began to better appreciate the work they were receiving. Funny win-win isn’t it?

I sold myself short by being in a relationship that didn’t support me to feel good about myself, strive for my best and be confident. My way of coping clouded my vision, caused me to be extra hard on myself and took away my optimism. Leaving it (after the really hard transition) caused a reawakening of my soul. Now I can confidentially take on any big challenge with little doubt. Night and day.

Where do you keep selling yourself short? 

To stop doing it we need to know when and how we do it. What is it that you consistently do to prevent further gains?

Why are you doing it? Are you afraid of success, unhappy or not confident that you can go all the way and try to sabotage it?

Once you have that understanding you have an opportunity to prevent the behaviour in the moment, set an intention to be different or change your situation altogether (like I did).

I have worked with hundreds of amazingly unique and talented beings. Without a doubt, I can say that every single one of us can experience success and be fulfilled. It comes down to making a commitment to letting you be yourself.

What if you saw every awesome thing you did, noted it and celebrated it?

Would that cause you to do more good things? Here’s something for you to do right now.

Think about your distinct value, something you rock at, a way you’ve impacted someone or a gift you possess, and instead of choosing the other option of downplaying and ignoring it, what would it be like if you shared it with someone else today?

It’s your turn to change the conversation.