Look around you and you will see examples everywhere of the extraordinary things people are capable of achieving. We all have unique gifts and are capable of achieving amazing things if we allow ourselves to. Reaching the peaks of our potential takes both recognising what we are great at and allowing other people to see what we offer.
It saddens me how often I meet people who are blind to the depth of their own potential or are afraid to be seen. The emotions that hold people back from sharing their talents with the world are many and complex. Among the most common I observe is a fear of being judged or ridiculed. There is no doubt our well-known "tall poppy" syndrome undermines the willingness many people in Australia feel to stand out from the crowd.
Five of the most important things you can do to stand in your spotlight and showcase what is great about you include:
1. Choose to thrive
Deciding to thrive is a critical first step toward making it happen. Wanting to be the best possible version of yourself and achieve everything you are capable of will help you overcome barriers to your success. Reflect on how much happier and fulfilled you life would be if you had the courage to do the things you really want to, unconstrained by limiting belief or fear.
2. Appreciate your talents
We all have strengths, our recognition and appreciation of them is an important step toward leveraging our potential. Take the time to reflect on all of the things you are great at. Allow yourself to be completely honest about the ways you are able to contribute, make a difference and influence the world around you. Unless you see and believe in your own talents you unlikely step up and give things a go.
3. Recognise your fears
Fears about what other people think and how they will react are common reasons people hesitate to stand in their spotlight. Understand how fear holding you back from pursuing the things that matter most to you? What role are you allowing fear to play in dictating the decisions you make about the career or life directions you choose?
4. Be proud of yourself
Choose to be proud of who you are and recognise your strengths and achievements for what they are. Being proud and willing to showcase what you are capable of isn't the same as being arrogant or conceited. Don't be afraid that people will perceive you as having an inflated opinion of yourself. Have the courage to ignore your critics – look past their unfounded beliefs and inaccurate perceptions.
5. Let go of perfectionism
Realise and accept that you are not perfect and few people expect you to be. Choose to ignore the views of people who set unreasonable expectations and dish out harsh criticism. Your best endeavours are all you or any other reasonable person can expect. Give things a go knowing it's OK to fail, all we need to do is get back up and try again.
Karen Gately is a leadership and people-management specialist and a founder of Ryan Gately, a specialist HR consultancy practice. She is also the author of The People Manager's Toolkit: A Practical guide to getting the best from people and The Corporate Dojo: Driving extraordinary results through spirited people. Visit www.karengately.com.au
