Achieving Your Intent and Overcoming Your Doubts

As a freelancer, you can face many doubts which can often get in the way of succeeding. Doubts in your head and those held by others. Thankfully so far I have seen nothing but encouragement and support from others regarding my move into consulting. Long may it last! I am not naive enough to think however, that some people are waiting for the moment I come back to earth and “get a proper job”. The doubts in my head are a work in progress, but learning how to master overcoming self doubt is essential for any entrepreneur.

Last night I met up with the incredible Dr Harold Hillman who I hold in the highest regard and who has been a genuine force for good in my life over a period of many years. His book, The Imposter Syndrome is staple reading for anyone who is often struck by anxiety about being “found out” as a sham, a charlatan or occupying a role he/she “shouldn’t be in”. This aligns perfectly with the psychological concept of imposter syndrome, which affects many professionals.

Harold really helped me reaffirm the plan I have for Traverse and my experiment into this brave new world. I have spent so long wondering who would want to be helped by me, hire me, trust me, or listen to my thinking before finally taking the plunge into consulting. I am doing it now because I genuinely believe there is a different way of working other than the traditional office job, and that the Universe has given me the opportunity to explore it. I am also certain that many of our working lives will be moving in this direction in the coming years and so want to be ahead of the curve and share my learning with others down the track. To do this requires a mindset shift toward a true growth mindset.

Harold’s second book, Fitting In, Standing Out explores how to communicate your thoughts in a way that delivers the message in a palatable, impactful way. He is after all a successful author, keynote speaker and coach (not in that order he tells me) so is clearly adept at this communication stuff.

Both of his books, along with some (always) amazing conversation led me to share why I chose Traverse Worldwide as my business name. He encouraged me to get writing about it.

1.I will be traversing the world aiming to prove that remote work and online consulting (whilst a reality in the US and Canada) can also be done in forward thinking NZ businesses too. Companies like Joyn are making this a reality for NZ so it’s definitely possible.

2.I want to help businesses traverse from business problem to sustainable solution whilst acknowledging the advice of Carl Sanders Edwards.

“NZ business need to have a worldwide, not just a NZ-centric focus in order to be super successful – think global.”

1.I will be writing about my journey and the journey of the clients I work with so Traverse seemed like an appropriate portmanteau of travel and verse.

In the coming few weeks as I move out of NZ and reconnect with friends and family over the festive season, my first intent is to tackle those dreaded inner doubts mentioned at the start. The words that still echo around inside my head on how to do this are from the amazing Vinh Giang;

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

Therefore if I want to be a successful digital nomad freelancing consultant with a selection of clients, I need to meet people who have tried, failed, and succeeded in this space. This approach builds self-efficacy and helps combat the fear of failure.

More to come…..(and feedback appreciated).

To further aid in overcoming self doubt, practices such as mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, and self-compassion can be incredibly beneficial. Embracing positive affirmations and developing self belief are crucial steps in replacing limiting beliefs with a positive mindset. As noted by experts like Brené Brown in Daring Greatly and The Gifts of Imperfection, embracing vulnerability is a key component of building resilience. For more insights on the growth mindset, the work of Carol Dweck and publications like Psychology Today are excellent resources

Where to take this next

If capable leaders in your business are hesitating instead of deciding, that is friction in the system rather than a lack of effort. Take the Leadership Friction Finder (https://jblhighperformance.com/leadership-friction-finder) and see where the drag actually sits. It takes a few minutes.

If you would rather keep reading, here are more articles on leadership mindset.