If you’re feeling a little insecure at work, it’s easier to set up obtainable goals so you’re always achieving something. However, while it might sound counterintuitive, over at Fast Company, marketing strategist Ted Karczewski suggests that one way to counter self-doubt is to give yourself impossible goals.
Picture: Jamie/Flickr
When you’re doing just well enough at work, you’re getting things done but you’re not really doing anything out of the ordinary to feel like you’re really accomplishing something. This is good in the short term, but wears on you over time. Karczewski’s suggestion is to get over that and push yourself:
I didn’t set low benchmarks because I was afraid I wouldn’t reach them; I set the bar low because I wanted to look good every time I surpassed expectations. I thrive on praise, and by default, I look for easy ways to get approval from my team members. Looking back on this, I realise the biggest mistake in setting low goals is not that I painted a different picture to those around me, but that I limited my success by not pushing myself to strive for what may seem impossible… Learn to set uncomfortable goals for yourself in spite of self-doubt.
It’s certainly a tall request, but it makes sense: if you can actually achieve those goals, you’ll banish that self-doubt for a little while. It could always backfire, but it might be worth it in the long run.
How to Overcome the Insecurities that are Holding You Back [Fast Company]
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