Over in my new Facebook Group #GetVisible this week, we’ve been talking about visibility.
And specifically, what is it about visibility that, when you’re an expert, professional or authority figure (ie when YOU are your business) is the struggle.
I ran a quick poll and actually thought the top answer would be about the technology. I thought the issue would be that we have all these mediums to create content and get visible at our disposal but how can one ‘normal’ person learn to do them all properly and efficiently.
Well, I was wrong.
It turns out the the top struggle over visibility for many expert types trying to build personal brands is self confidence and limiting beliefs.
In theory, if you’re building your personal brand or a business around yourself, you know you need to build your profile.
But inside you there’s a little voice saying ‘Who are you to think you can do this‘ – or whatever YOUR little voice says!
(At this point, I’d love to say that I have never experienced this and offer you loads of practical tips on what to do!)
But that would be a shameless lie!
I’m not a confidence expert (although I did study psychology at university) so here is my thruppence on this one.
I know I ‘appear’ confident (sometimes) but that is not strictly true! And all the people who are on my mailing list or who read my blog including
- My mum
- My partner Ally
- My school friends
- My clients
- (and anyone else who knows me in the ‘real world’ especially my friend Marianne)
Will know this!
Like anyone else I have what is commonly known as ‘Imposter syndrome’ and occasional (ahem) thoughts of ‘Erm, did they actually meant to commission me to write that book/give that talk/ get that accreditation/do that thing or did they mix me up with someone else?!’
My best piece of advice – and this is what I said inside the Facebook group – is to take next steps regardless of these feelings.
It’s not just you
There is even a brilliant quote by Kate Winslet where she says something like how she felt like a fraud as just a girl from Reading (which is where I’m from too #glamour)
One thing I have learned from writing my book and working with loads of fabulous (and famous) people who really seem to have the world at their feet is so many people feel this way and limiting beliefs must just be some default caveman-esque brain setting that once had a point for survival but isn’t really relevant anymore.
My friend, the super star blogger Honest Mum Vicki Psarias has a brilliant saying which is about just cracking on regardless (I love that phrase, crack on)
So all of us in #GetVisible are agreeing to adopt the mentality of doing things regardless of self confidence and belief.
We are trying to understand/accept that occasional lack of it is just a ‘thing’ a bit like other things such as rainy days and traffic jams on the M25. You can’t necessarily change it but you can get through it. Join us in #GetVisible for the journey
