Misconception #1: I need to be perfect. Perfection does not exist, and you will kill yourself trying to prove otherwise. You are human. You make mistakes. We all do. Acknowledge the error. Learn from the error. Make the correction and move on. Perfection is not a strength, but the result of fear and uncertainty in yourself. The fear of being judged often causes you to spend more time on a task than necessary because you do not want the dissatisfaction of correction. Guess what? No one does. However, a person with confidence can take constructive feedback at face value and not feel personally attacked. Do the work. Review the work. Turn it in so you can meet your deadlines.
Misconception #2: I need to fit in to rise. The need to fit in typically means you are not being authentic to yourself. You are presenting a false narrative of who you are. As a result, you are probably unhappy. You appear deceitful because others do not know who you are to know if they can trust you. You are showing up as the person you think they want you to be. Love yourself enough to present the best version of yourself every day. You only need to fit in with yourself. There is no such thing as “normal”. Don’t dim your light to make others feel comfortable with who you are. Present your true self no matter what. You can never be who you were meant to be if you are trying to be someone else. That role is already taken…by them.
Misconception #3: I need to sacrifice to succeed. Sacrificing to succeed is not healthy. The job is given priority over your personal health, family, and work/life
balance. No matter what your position is in the company, you should be able to take time off without feeling the need to check in or answer calls. If not, you need to rethink your processes and possibly your team, or your organization and their commitment to the well-being of their employees. The company will have someone else to do your job if you can no longer perform it. So, they can have someone do your job if want to take the week off.
Misconception #4: I need to do it alone. There is never a reason to do it alone. Doing it alone brings unnecessary stress. You appear to not be a team player. (Leaders should be team players too.) Doing it alone means you prefer to work hard as opposed to working smart. It brings a false sense of job security. You are more likely to miss deadlines. A good leader does not reward the person who completes the task alone. They reward the person who has the foresight and wisdom to delegate, divide and conquer.
Misconception #5: Success means having it all. Success is different for each person. Having it all is different for each person. Does your career give you satisfaction? A sense of fulfillment? Are you able to find joy in your day – even if you do not get everything done? Are you making an impact? If you answered “yes” to these questions, you might be successful in your career.
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