Are top CEOs better than you?

Top CEOs exude confidence.

Yes, of course. They’re smart and successful. Look at how good they are at <insert what you admire here>.

It’s true for F500 CEOs and the CEO of the hottest startup you know.

Are they confident because they are great CEOs?

Nope.

Here’s the thing:

They acted with confidence BEFORE they were top CEOs.

Be confident for no reason.

If you wait for a reason to be confident…it will never arrive.

Because there’s 1,406,596 reasons that other people are better than you.

There’s also 1,406,596 reasons that YOU ARE AWESOME. Right now. Today.

Yep.

Even without achieving whatever it is you think you need to achieve before you can be great.

Because let me tell you…once you get to that official point of greatness, it actually won’t be that great.

You will see another point of greatness!

Just off in the distance…

THAT is the real point of greatness.

That ‘point of greatness’…it’s not really there.

It’s always a little further out.

How do you break the vicious cycle of never-arriving-at-your-greatness?

It’s simple:

Start thinking you’re awesome right now!

Save yourself the years of therapy, unending achievements, and exhausting insecurity!

Start being confident for no reason.

Is it really that easy?

I see you rolling your eyes. (#momvision)

Kathryn, you say, if it was that easy, I would have already done it!

Yes and no.

There is a natural human tendency to want what you don’t have.

And the journey and anticipation of the goal is usually more fun than actually getting there.

You can’t totally override biological wiring from millions of years of evolution.

BUT.

You can start TODAY being a person who interacts in the world with confidence.

Start believing — right this very second — that:

• People will take my call and reply to my email

• Someone will help me when I need it

• I can figure things out

• I deserve to be here

• I will close deals

And 100 other cheesy, yet effective, thoughts that change how you feel, act, and show up.

People with those beliefs interact with investors differently.

Trust me. I’ve seen it.

They are still polite and socially appropriate but there’s an under current of expectation in their communication that comes through and is very compelling.

Feeling a lack of confidence? Here’s a few tips.

If you’re not there quite YET (← “yet” — a word of confidence!), that’s okay.

You’re not alone.

As far as I can tell, most people feel some kind of Imposter Syndrome.

Including top CEOs.

They work hard to overcome it, show up with confidence, and establish credibility.

You too can use their strategies too!

Here are two more that I recently came across:

• Say “I’m excited” instead of “I’m nervous” → here’s the research. I recommend Vanessa Van Edwards’ entire TedTalk. I watched twice!

• Focus on “the gain” over “the gap” → think about what you’ve made progress in instead of what you have left to achieve. Love this concept (and book!) from Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy, shared by Brad Barrett. I did it in my nightly gratitude journal and — even when I knew it was a trick — it still was magical!

Practice, learning, and pretending are all very effective at building confidence. 😁

Confidence unlocked!

You can give yourself permission. Right now. To be confident.

What would happen if you ACTED with the confidence of a top CEO? 

What would happen if you saw clearly how awesome you already are? 

What would you do, say, ask for, or attract? 

It costs nothing but can change everything.

Start today.

For no reason.

Without explanation or justification.

BELIEVE IN YOUR SELF.

And the world will follow your lead. 😉

What is your best tip for projecting confidence? What are the most important insights you’ve learned about doubt, confidence, and success? When do you feel the most confident?