One of the key contributing factors to my success and happiness is my ability to be BOLD in life. I urge you to do the same and here's why:
Research has shown that overall women need to feel '100%' ready before stepping up for something bigger/different, whereas men will take a leap when feeling just 60% ready....in other words men are prepared to wing it to some extent! BUT they display higher levels of confidence, hence others perceive them as more competent and ready.
"Simply put, a woman's brain is not her friend when it comes to confidence. ... "If you choose not to act, you have little chance of success. ... because, in the pursuit of it, we put off difficult tasks waiting to be perfectly ready before we start."
- Katty Kay, co-author of 'The Confidence Code'
Here's the bold truth and some facts about my own career and life:
- I joined one of the world's more recognised Management Consulting firms with no prior consulting experience. HOW? I was BOLD enough to ask for an interview (and then BOLD enough to show up for 4 rounds).
As you can see, you don't need to have a ton of certificates or degrees. You don't always need to have relevant industry experience.
You need PASSION, DRIVE and an ability to step up and be BOLD when it matters.
You need to graciously accept when things don't work out, learn from the experience, forgive yourself and move forth boldly.
Did I run the best workshop for our stakeholders? No.
Did I make mistakes when running the restaurant & bar in Goa? Many.
Did I facilitate the most amazing workshop for the Heads of Departments? Absolutely not. It was at best average and definitely not impactful.
But that's not the point. I had to start somewhere and that's what I did.
Each time I took a chance to try something new, I stretched my comfort zone. My confidence increased and I continued to develop my craft in each of these areas.
I'm not special, genius or different from anyone else. My ability to step up to the plate each and every time has led me to work as a Career Success Strategist and Leadership facilitator to Fortune 500 Companies since 2010.
In the last 12 months alone I've facilitated countless workshops and I absolutely LOVE the work I do and the difference I get to make.
I feel truly blessed everyday and that's worth being bold for.
You may think that I'm lucky to have a bold personality! Well, the reality is I wasn't always this way, and for the first 7 years of my career I wasn't really bold at all and suffered miserably.
Being bold isn't always easy - in fact it's never easy but it gets easier over time the more we do it.
I call it being a Graceful Warrior.
It's not about pushing and forcing things to happen. It's about feeling the pull to do something greater, to step into something more desirable, feeling scared but being bold enough to not let the opportunity slip away. Being brave enough to give it a go without being attached to the outcome.
Be prepared to fail. Be prepared to succeed. Above all be prepared to try as there's nothing worse than the feeling of 'what if?'.
Get yourself the support you need and move away from people who pull you down. Having people to celebrate you along the way is critical to your ability to up-level, even when you need to take a few steps back in order to leap again.
Success and happiness are possible if you're willing to be BOLD. If you're ready to own your worth and step into your truth and greatness.
One of my mottos is: "Ready or not, here I come!"
Make it your motto, if only for a day, and see what happens.
Shivani Bhagi is an International Career Success Strategist with a sole mission to help smart, committed professionals take charge of their careers by increasing their self worth and net worth.
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