Confidence is when output meets expectations
Layla Shaikley
Co-Founder at Wise Systems — Check us out for the smartest last-mile software. Join the over 270,000 people across social media who follow along for straightforward startup learnings and leadership frameworks ↓
Confidence forms when reality meets expectations. And it is lost when a gap exists between who you are and who you expect to be.
The cycle goes like this: You have (or should have) a goal, but you struggle to define or prioritize it. You know you haven’t reached the goal, which makes you feel unproductive and discouraged. Until the goal is clearly defined or expectations are met, the cycle repeats.
The feeling of dread lingers.
And your lack of resolution has downstream impacts.
If you’re an executive, others rely on you to create the goals.
If you’re a manager, others rely on you to define the goals.
If you’re a contributor, others rely on you to achieve the goals.
Founders are especially vulnerable to cycles of low confidence. A founder’s vision is built on standards that surpass reality, and the founder seeks financing to catch up to reality. And their vision is audacious. Considering the emotional regulation and tactical clarity required to navigate the founder journey, the high failure rate is not surprising. I believe long-time founders develop the skills to solve nearly everything.
If your performance isn’t meeting the expectations you’ve set for yourself, pause to articulate your expectations. What are they? Do you have clear goals? And more importantly, do you trust yourself to believe that you will be okay and can figure it out?
The second part of the question is very important because studies show that EQ (emotional intelligence) is a stronger indicator than IQ when it comes to career and life success. IQ helps you get through school; EQ helps you get through life. In order to bridge the gap between expectation and reality, the following skills will serve you:
? Self-awareness
? Self-regulation
? Motivation
? Empathy
? Social skills
If you trust yourself to regulate your emotions and make decisions, you will trust yourself to solve problems. As Daniel Goleman (who authored the five points above) put it, “If your emotional abilities aren’t in hand, if you don’t have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can’t have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far.”
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5 个月Valuable insights here, especially on the founder's journey. Mastering EQ can truly transform challenges into opportunities for growth.