In my executive coaching practice, you might imagine that one of the questions I get asked often is about how to become more self-confident. How to combat imposter syndrome. How to overcome doubt, fear, even shame to achieve one’s potential.

While "fake it til you make it" might have a small role to play in your career journey, here are some simple, clear truths I hold to:

Confidence comes with competence.
You trust yourself when you do the work.
Invest in the area you’re feeling insecure about.
Be consistent with and for yourself.
Get help - don’t do anything alone.
Learn, practice, commit.
Then, confidence in yourself becomes real.

I rarely talk about my softball playing days at Northwestern or the intense road that led me there. But there are some invaluable lessons that path gave me, including the ones above. They come from my lived experience with these precise challenges.

When I joined the top travel team in the country, I was one of the youngest and least experienced people on the team. I often felt scared and intimidated by my Olympic-level teammates. So, at the suggestion of my eccentric but winning coach, every day before high school started, I’d hit 100 balls off the batting tee in my garage. Every day. 6am. (I know.)

In my second year on the team, I became a top contributor at the plate. Best performing year of my life. First Team All-American, in fact. All because I put in the work.

The road to self-trust and deep confidence is never easy and not a straight line. But short-cuts don’t work here, in my humble opinion.

Dive into the thing you’re avoiding. Feel the fear and build the muscle anyway. Lean on your support team along the way. But do the work. Then, there is not a thing anyone can do to take that away from you. Because your time and investment in your growth are yours. It’s real. And it matters.

What is your "6am, hitting off the softball tee in the garage" mountain that you need to climb?

Is it going after that advanced degree? Committing to a consistent yoga or exercise practice? Joining ToastMasters to level up your presentation skills? Or finally diving into that therapy you’ve been effectively avoiding for years?

This season, may this story serve as a reminder for you that investing in yourself, doing your work, and showing up for yourself consistently are key to wholeness and sustained performance. May this be the gentle nudge of truth you were waiting to hear.

Here in support of your brilliance, your joy, and your inner peace, my friend. You’re worth it.

To Your Wholeness,
Erin