181 - When What You Think Gets In The Way Of What You Want

In this episode, Cindy Esliger talks about the invisible barrier of our own thinking that can be in the way of progressing in our careers. Our brains are wired for self-preservation, not bold career leaps, so even though we say we want impact or recognition, we are likely being steered away from risk and discomfort by our thoughts. So what do we do? How do we identify this kind of thinking and challenge those patterns? Cindy describes what the self-preservation thinking looks like, how to develop our self-awareness, and ways to start to take risks in our careers.  When we understand that our brains are primarily wired for survival, we can we can start to see how staying safe can often also mean staying stuck. Safe avoids discomfort, keeps us playing small, and does not like making others uncomfortable. Our self-preservation can show up as roadblocks like perfectionism or overthinking. Cindy urges us to get honest about both our strengths and struggles so we can begin dismantling the barriers unconsciously holding us back. Once we identify what we’re struggling with, Cindy offers the follow-up question of, “What’s standing in the way of us working on them?”  Self-awareness is not self-blame. We aren’t responsible for every roadblock in our way. But self-awareness lets us take back control so we can empower ourselves by working with both our brilliance and blind spots. Cindy shares some steps to take. Describe ourselves with five words. Then ask what five words would friends or family choose for us. This outside perspective is key to a balanced view of ourselves. When we can identify where we’re holding back, we learn to let discomfort shape us into something greater. We can step out of the safe thinking and into something challenging.   Resources discussed in this episode:Guide to Rethinking What's Holding You BackAstronomic AudioConfidence Collective—Contact Cindy Esliger Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.