Before you can claim your destiny, you’ve got to have a clear direction of where you are heading. Just as a CEO has a vision for implementing her company plan, you’ve got to see the big picture. Are you staying educated on industry trends and issues? Are you working to create your future success?
Your own doubt may be standing in the way of promotion or success. So many women get caught up thinking “she’s better than me” or “they are smarter and more connected than me.” Doubt is self-sabotage. It keeps you from owning your own accomplishments. It allows you to believe you have less value than others. It makes you live in fear of failure.
You can squash the doubt monster when you feel it creeping around the corner. Begin by believing in your strength and abilities. Don’t be afraid to speak up and offer ideas. Quit comparing yourself to your perceived image of others. Don’t let it keep you from learning new skills or asking for more or different responsibilities at work.
Quit attributing success to luck. We as women tend to downplay our corporate (and personal) wins. When someone congratulates you or you’re recognized for your efforts, don’t say, “well, it really wasn’t that important.” Own your hard work. That doesn’t mean you should be boastful or brag, but don’t minimize the work and effort that went into you reaching that milestone.
Don’t fear competition. Jealousy is one of most limiting emotions. Instead of falling into that trap, try building your network. Think of it as adding links to your success chain. The more resources you have, the better off you’ll be. It doesn’t matter if someone makes more money than you or has more responsibility with you, you can learn from their journey as well. By sharing your skills and ideas, everyone can grow and succeed. You don’t get ahead by tearing someone else down. Reach out to colleagues in your industry. Have a call circle or text tree. Every few weeks, check in with each other and discuss the challenges you are facing and the wins you’ve gotten. These relationships can help push your forward and be a great sounding board for when things aren’t going as you have planned.
One final thing, don’t be afraid to embrace the feminine part of you. You may think of that as a weakness, but it isn’t. You don’t have to be one of the boys to move forward. Your creativeness and intuition give you valuable insight that can make you a valuable team member.
Learning to trust and believe in yourself is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. If you struggle with this, I’d urge you to spend 10 minutes each night journaling or acknowledging you. Take time to write statements showing how you trusted your training/education/experience and it led to good business solutions.  This simple tool can help you realize your potential and see areas of strength you might not already acknowledge.