Stride vs. Hide

Ever notice that you could be cruising right along until someone says something to you and you trip over those words? As I complete what I am calling My Credential Year, I have been in the spotlight of judgment more than I would like. Being mentored is a key part of getting out of my own head, but also unsolicited ‘mentorship’ has me appreciating the word consent.

How quickly I regain my balance depends on how high up the mountain I have been climbing because those Impostor Syndrome valleys can seem quite low. Through conversations with coaching colleagues I have begun to notice that when I’m in full confidence I stride to whatever is next and when I am in full impostor mode I tend to hide.

This reminds me of a backpacking trip to repair trails on the Olympic Peninsula for the Washington Trail Association (WTA). I was gearing up for a snow camping trip to Mount Baker and this is how I chose to train. In the course of a weekend there was sun, hail, rain, and snow.? The team lead finally intervened with me as I went quiet. That, he could already tell, was not normal for me and, thus, was a sign of hypothermia.???

I write all this to say, as I strive for my next peak, I now know to watch for when I stride and when I hide. I will give myself grace for the times when I am learning, agency for the times when I want to go my own way, and praise when I am in full stride, being who I need to be.?

What do you notice as you strive for your next level of peak performance?

Your partner in change,

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