Have you Peaked? What if this is as Good as it Gets?

On the way up to Wisconsin for a gig this past weekend, I stumbled upon this great t-shirt while scrolling on my phone (I was stuck in the back with all the band gear). I thought the message was clever, and wanted to order one right away.? But then I stopped for a second, and started to wonder if this was how I felt about the current stage in my career. I’ll be honest, this ‘have you hit your peak?’ feeling has come up often over the years, especially after I was passed over for a promotion, or simply rejected for a potential job opportunity.??

Instantly, my imposter syndrome feelings came back in full force, turned up all the way to 11.? I began to think and ask myself all sorts of ridiculous questions…

• Do I do average or great work?
• Am I missing something that others have??
• Do I make too many mistakes???
• Do I do enough for my team and company?
• Is there any potential left in me, or have I already peaked?
• Is this as good as it gets?

After a bit of reflection and feeling sorry for myself, I came back to reality. After all, the pity party had to end at some point, especially since we had a gig to play and people to entertain.?

On our way back home that night, I began to think about this some more.? This ‘syndrome of feeling inadequate’ is actually fairly common; even the greatest leaders question themselves and doubt their own abilities. Even if you don’t think you do this (and I admire your confidence), perhaps you do it differently. For example, how do you handle positive feedback?? If someone tells you that you did an amazing job, do you brush it off, and not want to talk about it, somewhat embarrassed?? If you do, that’s the Imposter Syndrome in you kicking in, and I still do it often. In fact, I did it after we finished our gig and people gave us kudos…I thanked them and changed the subject quickly because I didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

By the time we got home, I felt a lot better, because I had some time to think less about what I hadn't done, but what I had done.? I love what I do, the people I engage with, and the company I work for. In fact, I’m always looking for ways to improve processes, workflow and build things faster and better.? I also receive continuous feedback from my leadership team and peers, including ways to improve my work product.? I thrive on this stuff; and it's what builds confidence and makes you want to do better.

So no, I haven’t peaked, and if you are feeling anything remotely similar, take some time to think about your accomplishments and then set your new goals or targets, and start down that path. ?Here are a couple recommendations:

• Accept the Imposter Syndrome- This is so common; maybe more than you think. But sooner than later, you must move on from the pity party. ? Eventually, this should inspire you to do better things; maybe even greater things. It’s okay to feel insecure and dysfunctional; I think it’s a great way to evaluate yourself, and figure out what you need to do next. Just don’t stay stuck at this stage for a while; learn from it, and move on quickly.?
• Seek Feedback -It’s easy to feel embarrassed to ask for help or for feedback, especially if you don’t feel like you are doing a great job.? Perhaps one way to start is to go to the folks you know best and then to those you suspect will give you unpleasant feedback. You need to balance this to get an unbiased opinion (this happens too often).
• Give Feedback - I look at feedback as a gift, but giving feedback is equally important. While some may not want unsolicited feedback, it’s better to have offered it, versus just making the assumption that they don’t want feedback.? Being clear and concise, basing guidance on actual facts vs feelings is also appreciated, especially if you are giving performance-related guidance.

Back to the shirt…I will probably buy this shirt, because it’s funny. But, there is also a hidden gem in this message, and it’s that everyone has potential and the potential never ends; even if you feel like you are stuck or on a downward spiral. You never stop learning. You never stop getting better. We're human, and growth is in our DNA.?

So no, neither of us have peaked; we probably never will.? As Dori (from Finding Nemo) says, just keep swimming!