Lean In: Confidence
I have begun reading a book that has had a major impact on the professional world. If you are a professional then you probably have heard of it, if not read it yourself. Lean In, written by Sheryl Sandberg, discusses various different dynamics and topics that can be found every day in the business world. I would like to discuss one part of this book that has caught my attention.
The first major topic that I took note of is confidence. Sandberg stresses confidence as a main contributor to success and I wholeheartedly agree. On various occasions a professional is going to be put into situations in which they feel unqualified. This has happened to me already and I am only a sophomore in college! However, if you are there then that means someone else thinks you should be there so it is important to see in yourself what they see in you. What matters most is not your qualifications but your performance. Every individual has their own set of strengths. It is important to believe in those strengths and to use them. Some of the most unlikely people have risen to success because they had the confidence to seize opportunities, even if others didn’t see the potential they saw in themselves. Not everyone struggles with confidence but many people do. It is not the easiest of things to put into practice.
Entering college, I decided to make confidence one of the main things that I wanted to work on within myself. After a year of working on this, I have seen an extraordinary difference in my life. This has shown in my friendships, professional opportunities, academic career and more. I encourage you to challenge yourself if this is something you struggle with. I know that I am only a sophomore in college but I have experienced the effect of confidence first hand and cannot adequately stress its importance.
Below I have provided a link to the Lean In website, as well as the information for the book. It is a great read and I would definitely recommend it!
www.leanin.org
Sandberg, Sheryl. Lean in. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. Print.
