It’s Monday and I’m back with another dose of motivation! This weekend was spent with my family celebrating my mom’s birthday here in the city. There are a lot of things I love about hanging out with my family (the laughs, the fun, the hugs, the food, etc.). However, by far the best part about spending time with them is how inspired I am by them. Sure, every parent tells their kids that they are ‘special’ or ‘important,’ but my family really understands where I am, where I want to go and wants to be a part of my journey to get there. Whenever I’m around them, I truly understand the worth of my work, my passion projects and my true potential for the future.
Last week, I was talking to my dad and he and simply asked ‘what’s next?’ Where did I want to go next in my career? What would my next blogger project be? And while I answered with a pretty standard answer, it wasn’t good enough. He asked, ‘why not CEO?’ Of course, I laughed and told him that he was crazy, but he was 100% serious. Right now, this title seems completely inconceivable and ridiculous, but why should it? Sure, I’m not expecting to see the corner office in the next few months, but why shouldn’t I consider it a part of the plan?
I’m just going to come out and say it…. it’s really fucking hard to know and believe what you are worth. With your friends flaunting every promotion, every success and life stage on social media, it is easy to compare yourself and doubt what you are capable of. This doubt is what powers our struggle to envision ourselves in the CEO suite (or whatever your pie in the sky end goal may be).
However, with the unlimited opportunities out in the world these days, it is more important than EVER to know your worth. Whether you are pitching yourself for a new promotion or looking to go out on your own and open your own business, knowing how much you and your work is worth is absolutely ESSENTIAL. This is something I struggle with on the daily, which is why my parents’ encouragement is always so refreshing, but below are a few quick tips that I resort to when I need an extra boost.
1| Talk to a mentor. Sometimes you just need another opinion. Someone to tell you that you’re a ROCKSTAR (or not). I find it the most helpful if you talk to someone who is in your industry, somebody who has experience in the things that you deal with day in and day out. This person will be able to tell you if you are going above and beyond or if you are just going with the flow. This person can actually be your boss, which can do more than help you understand your worth. This talk will A) remind yourself (and your boss) of all of the amazing things you do and B) show your dedication to your career growth.
2| Stay off social media. As I mentioned earlier, social media is a constant comparison game. Of course, your friends only share the big promotion, the new baby, the engagement, the new side hustle. It’s hard to look past all of these accomplishments when your life seems pretty sub par, but remember that your friends aren’t sharing the late nights or the rough patches. If you are having a bad week or prepping for a big meeting where you really need to sell yourself, its helpful to stay off social media to stay focused on yourself and your own accomplishments.
3| Start a new project. I personally find this tip the most effective! If you’ve been at your job for a long time, it is easy to get stuck in a rut or think that you’re work is just average because you do it everyday. But starting a new project that you are passionate about (even if it is outside of your job description), it can make you really excited about your job again and prove that you bring a lot to the table. These additional projects are also points of reference that you can point to during reviews or moments that you need to sell yourself.
I’m almost positive that we are all underestimating ourselves most of the time, but we owe it to ourselves to do more. With the start of a new week, I challenge you to sell yourself a little better this week. Prove to your boss that you’re the perfect fit for that next promotion. Raise your rates for a sponsored post. Believe in yourself more than you normally would!
