Learn to brag. I have no problem bragging. I think that you should just own your accomplishments. Just always frame the outcome for the business vs “me, me me”. You deserve it. There’s always going to be naysayers and people who don’t support you. I just block them out.
Focus on the truth. Ask yourself, “What is the truth about what I am selling?” My quick story is that in law school, I had to do a self-evaluation for a course. I gave myself 10. I worked really hard. I wanted to impress the instructor and I just put all this effort into this course. It was my #1 priority. My best friend couldn’t believe I gave myself a 10.” I just said, “It’s true.” I worked harder than anybody else. I was the top student. That’s what it was. A guy wouldn’t even think twice about it. You just have to focus on is whatever that one thing is, is it true? And then you can have confidence in it.
Network with purpose. What I’ve found is that if I go to networking events early, I make more meaningful connections. There are so few people that go on time, so you can go and get that meaningful conversation with the organizers or other early birds. I also think that when we slow down and actually ask, “Where am I right now? Who can I connect with who can get me to the next level? How can I meet that person?”, that is going to help build that meaningful relationship.
About Three Gifts (and tell us yours):
Three Gifts for a 20-Something: What three “gifts” would you give a 20-something if you were a “Forty-Godmother”? Here 40-somethings share three wishes to help a 20-something get a head start on the confidence to make decisions that are right for them (not their parents, friends, teachers or society). No more woulda, coulda, shoulda.
You can submit your three gifts here (no matter what your age).