“You are right, I don’t need to find self-confidence or search for self-confidence. It’s inside of me. I just need to access it and embody it.”

This is the insight from a coaching client after 40 minutes together over Zoom today. She is a powerful marketing executive who just took on a new role with a formidable global brand. 

No matter how successful we become, we can have impostor thoughts (I don’t like the labels “impostor syndrome” because we may end up embodying that label which then limits us. “Thoughts”, however, can come and go and we can more easily exercise control). We may fear that we are not enough. What if I am not as good as they thought I am? What if I am not as good as I thought I am? 

Welcome to being a high-achiever! This is normal for high performing leaders. It is precisely this relentless pursuit of excellence that made us high-achievers in the first place. Actually, I hope I never lose my impostor thoughts - a sibling of an incredible internal drive and motivation to make a difference. When we find such thoughts a bit out of control, we always have the choice to re-direct our thoughts so that they can best serve us, our dreams, and what we care about the most. 

Later in the conversation, we explored the difference between conceptual self-confidence and embodied self-confidence. 

Before we wrapped up our conversation today, this marketing executive came up with one small embodiment practice (a physical practice that actively engages the body to help shift thoughts and emotions and to build a desired new behavioral habit). It isn’t Amy Cuddy’s “Wonder Woman” power pose (which I happen to like), it’s a small physical practice that’s directly meaningful for her, whom I know will continue to be a shaker and mover in her industry. 

How do you embody what you most care about and who you most want to be?