Most people incorrectly wait to feel confident before acting. Confidence is the outcome of taking small actions and proving competence to yourself. The crucial prerequisite is self-trust—the belief you can handle any outcome—which empowers you to take that first uncertain step.
"Pedestal syndrome" is the habit of overestimating others' intelligence while underestimating your own, which fuels imposter feelings. Recognizing that even senior leaders experience doubt allows you to "pull the pedestal," own your unique talents, and speak with more conviction.
A study showed people who believed they had a facial scar perceived others as unfriendly, even though the scar was secretly removed. This reveals we don't react to the world as it is, but to the reality our self-image prepares us to see, often through confirmation bias.
Overthinking isn't a cognitive flaw but a protective mechanism. When your brain doesn't trust your ability to handle uncertainty, it generates endless negative scenarios to create a false sense of control. The solution isn't clearer thoughts, but deeper self-trust.
The "stimulus control" technique involves scheduling a specific time to worry. By writing down worries and later reviewing how few materialized, you create tangible evidence of your resilience. This process actively builds self-trust by demonstrating that your mind's predicted dangers rarely arrive.
Harvard research shows women receive 44% more requests for non-promotable tasks (e.g., party planning) than men, keeping them in a "doer" role. To transition to a leadership identity, women must strategically decline work that offers no development opportunity to protect time for high-impact projects.