Vulnerability as a SuperPower

We often find ourselves being our harshest critics, doubting our abilities, and undervaluing our achievements.

This self-critical mindset can hold us back from reaching our full potential.

However, when we learn to own our greatness and become our biggest cheerleaders, we open the door to countless opportunities.

In today's Newsletter, I'll share the positives of sharing openly because I know people are sometimes afraid to be vulnerable on LinkedIn. We have all been guilty of shameless self-promotion instead of adding genuine value to the world.

Here are ten steps to help you transform your mindset and embrace Your greatness.

Step 1: Acknowledge Your Achievements

Take time to reflect on your past successes and accomplishments. Write them down and celebrate them. Recognizing your achievements builds confidence and reminds you of your capabilities.

• Too often, we focus on what we didn't do well rather than what is the gold from this "failure." We learn more from what we didn't do well than when everything is moving along just fine.
• In college, I was let go from working at Rutgers Cell and DNA Repository because I made the mistake of skipping class to work at the Cell Lab. I really wanted the money, and I didn't enjoy certain classes when I was younger.
• I was afraid no one would believe me, so I didn't push back. I ended up getting let go because I was too afraid of conflict. This ended up being a horrible decision, and I would continue to beat myself up for that mistake. Now that I am older, I see that conflict and being able to stand up for myself are important.

Where have you let others decide your future without standing up for yourself?

Step 2: Silence Your Inner Critic

Identify the negative self-talk that undermines your confidence. Challenge these thoughts and replace them with positive affirmations. Remind yourself of your strengths and successes.

• Growing up, I would compare myself to my taller white counterparts, who would always get the girls. Upon reflection, I had a ton of friends and have dated many women, but of course, humans tend to focus more on the negative without genuinely acknowledging the positives as well. In reality, it's much easier to remember all of the things I've failed in not being able to communicate, whether I had a crush on someone versus realizing all of the proms I've been to.

When you think of your identity, are you focused on where you've "failed," or are you looking at both sides of the equation and getting a realistic and accurate portrayal of yourself?

Step 3: Set Realistic Goals

Set clear, achievable goals that align with your values and passions. Break them down into smaller, manageable steps. Each small win will boost your confidence and keep you motivated.

• Of course we all want to be rich and have a lot of disposable income. Let's say my goal is to travel to 100+ different countries.

Am I doing this because I'm trying to "fix myself" or do I genuinely want to appreciate the riches of life and experience different flavors because of genuine curiosity?

The result is the same, but one is more sustainable, and the other method will be exhausting trying to "prove yourself" all of the time.

Step 4: Embrace Vulnerability

Share your struggles and challenges openly. Vulnerability fosters connection and trust, and it allows you to receive support and encouragement from others.

This is the hardest out of all of the steps. You might feel like everyone is paying attention to you, but the reality is that most people are in their own worlds and probably aren't paying to you as much as you think you are. Not everyone is Justin Bieber, where everything you do, millions of people are noticing it.

For the average human being, vulnerability shows the human side of you, and people can relate versus just showing how amazing your life is. There is little substance in just showing the highlights reels. In reality, we all go through ups and downs, and that's what makes us all able to relate to each other.

Step 5: Surround Yourself with Positivity

Build a support network of positive, encouraging people who believe in you. Limit exposure to negativity and toxic influences that drain your energy and confidence.

• Realistic Positivity I have found to be the most beneficial. As someone who had much false positivity in my life. I would often try to "will myself" to a better life. That works to a certain extent but eventually things will come crashing down if we do not work on our issues and problems.
• Setting boundaries was difficult for me growing up in a household where I slept in the Living Room, and my family was literally not able to have space and a room where we could close the door to think.
• I realized that my understanding of boundaries is much different from that of most people in the US. I realized that being able to separate myself from work was extremely difficult for me. Having big-picture optimism has helped me have perspective, but if I never worked on this, then I would keep failing and wondering what is going on instead of collecting data points and coming up with solutions that will help me grow in my career and in my personal life.

Step 6: Practice Self-Compassion

Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a friend. Accept that everyone makes mistakes and that failure is a part of growth.

How many of us are guilty of whipping ourselves with a stick every day, saying things to ourselves that we wouldn't even speak to any of our friends?

• Having had hundreds of conversations with people about their career journeys, I've noticed that there is a lot of negative talk based on our pasts, whether it's "bombing" an interview or comparing ourselves to other people's highlight reels.
• It would be helpful to be hyper-aware of our attachment to identity based on the past.

Step 7: Celebrate Small Wins

Don’t wait for major milestones to celebrate your progress. Acknowledge and reward yourself for the small steps you take towards your goals.

• This is often difficult for people who think they will only be as ambitious if they celebrate less often.
• The argument here is that it's much more sustainable to have perspective and acknowledge yourself so that you are aware of the person you have become in the process of many of these recent challenges.

Step 8: Visualize Your Success

Use visualization techniques to imagine yourself achieving your goals. This mental rehearsal prepares your mind for success and boosts your confidence.

• I used to think it was corny, but all of the exciting and fun dreams I've had have become possible because I was able to visualize a future that was not possible.
• Being a homeowner of a new construction place, being a Streamer,YouTuber, Published author, Podcaster, and traveling the world—everything starts with a vision, and creating a vision board can help you materialize things that you never thought were possible.

Step 9: Seek Feedback and Learn

Constructive feedback is invaluable for growth. Seek input from trusted mentors and peers, and use this feedback to improve and refine your skills.

• The key is to seek feedback from people actively doing what you want. If someone has been in management and your goal is to be a People Manager, that's going to be more fruitful than listening to random comments from people on social media whose backgrounds you don't even know.

Step 10: Pay It Forward

Encourage and uplift others. Sharing your journey and supporting others fosters a sense of community and reinforces your confidence and positivity.

• Sharing is a powerful gift. The key is not to be attached to the likes and to notice the intentionality of the Why you are sharing?
• When I'm grounded in who cares if this gets 1000 views or not, I'm genuinely just grounded in my truth. It leads to chasing the dopamine rush when you are addicted to external validation.

Conclusion

Owning your greatness is a transformative journey that begins with silencing your inner critic and embracing self-compassion.

By becoming your biggest cheerleader, you not only boost your confidence but also attract more opportunities into your life. Remember, you are capable of achieving amazing things—believe in yourself and take the first step towards greatness today.

Which of these points do you think its most important and accepting your greatness and being able to have grace with ourselves?