Do you want to fit in or stand out?

Many of us carry a conflict within us; for example, we want to do something exceptional, something great. We all are proud of achievements we worked hard on.

However, many of us fear standing out, being seen as exceptional, as great achievers, as somebody others look up to. 

I repeatedly find it remarkable when I ask the question to workshop participants when crafting a business strategy: “What would you be proud of achieving?” Many argue there would be no reason to be proud of at work. We are “just doing our job” or “others are even better than we” are answers I often hear. 

Sure, I know what speaks to me in these moments is fear. The fear to be exceptional, to be outstanding, to shine in the light. 

Here comes the twist: This fear to be outstanding is a much bigger obstacle to success than the fear of failure. So, it’s worth addressing this issue when you, your team, and your business want to become more successful. 

The question is how you as a leader can minimise the fear of success for your team members. Beware: this fear sometimes doesn’t show up openly, but believe me, it’s always around.

So, here are 3 tips what you should do about it: 

1. Be a role model for pride and success yourself. This is important: Before influencing others, you need to ask yourself: “What would I be proud of achieving?” and “Who would I be proud of serving?” Depending on your personality, this might require some work with a coach or friend.
2. Remember, most people got educated in a way NOT to be proud of achievements too much. In school, we are normally rated by complying to standards, not standing out. When you stand out, you are rather punished and envied. This is why most people have a hard time shifting these deeply rooted beliefs within a couple of days or in a workshop. It needs constant mentoring and coaching.
3. 10x personal growth. Yes, I encourage you to take dramatic action to increase the amount of learning intakes, in particular in personal growth and success psychology. Most people have never heard of any of these principles that hold them back from success and even happiness. There are plenty of very good audio and video programs (and many bad as well). If you are interested, just ask me for my suggestions from my years of study.

If you are serious about increasing the success for yourself and your team and removing barriers, we should talk about my options to support you as a mentor and coach. Just click here to set up a phone/video conversation.