Getting confident enough to achieve goals

Being in your early 20s where you are figuring out your career, relationship, health and knowing yourself. Knowing yourself is a journey of lots of self-doubts and this year started with a birthday wish from my mentor to be able to find my value, create results and get out of my self-doubt. I started my career journey in sales and business development when I was 18. This decision was based on what I aspired to be good at, which was communication and having a great personality. In that journey, I have self-depreciated a lot that I can’t do anything. I have chosen this path, but I had my doubts whether it will be good for me or not. Even though I was taking steps forward to make it better, my confidence was low, which made me seem like I was standing still. 

Last month, I went to a 3 days community event where each day, community members did different activities. On the first day, we had to stick pictures from random magazines on chart paper and chose one word which resonated with us. I decided my word would be RAWNESS because I strive to have that in my life and speak out freely about what is coming in my mind. I was enjoying the activity and cutting and sticking what I liked. It turned out to bring me a realisation. By looking at the chart, It made me realise that particular self-doubt is long back gone, and I am living in an illusion of that now, which somewhat also broke down during the other 2 days’ activities.

Networking night was one of the nights for which I waited eagerly where I could walk into a room of people and have a conversation with them. I don’t know if it’s a place that makes me different. But obviously, it’s the people who are around me that make me grow. I felt confident while feeling that I need to work on my English rather than communication now. While I was having a conversation with people who are involved in sales, I could pull off a 20-30 min conversation with the way I asked questions. I was really tested at the networking event. One dominant question that people asked was, “are you enjoying what you are doing?”, to which my response was yes yes, I am at the right place now. While I was self-reflecting, I realised something my mentor told me: I am learning these skills to be confident and can take a step forward to achieve my goals.

It also turned out to be valid during the house swap activity. I was going to someone else’s place, who has achieved a certain amount of fame, money and status. This was the complete comfort zone breaker as even when I go to my friend’s house I am a quiet one. Now even my friend wasn’t going to be there too and I have to stay with his family. When I arrived, Uncle welcomed me, and we sat on the sofa and started a conversation in which I wanted to know his story. I asked questions that I had never asked my parents about business, life, money, relationships, travelling and being a leader. We had a 3-hour conversation in which I kept asking questions and sharing about myself. During the discussion, I also said I am sorry that I am asking you this many questions, but he was humble enough to say that that’s why I am here. He didn’t expect something from me as a parent does. That day dopamine was rushing, giving me the confidence to get into any conversation with the self-doubt changing seats from getting over my head to sitting next to me. Also, releasing a little self-doubt is essential to keep us growing and achieving more and more.

These 3 days validated my goal of having good conversations which I set when I started my journey in sales. I am getting confident day by day. I still remember the first meeting where I was shivering and speaking like a parrot to now  being able to talk to Entrepreneurs who have experience of more than 20-30+ years

Like we say endings are hard but unlike this time it gave me the boost as I received a book with a note which said how sales is just a part of WHO I AM, and I just want to put this out that sales mera part hai meh iska part nahi. I am deeply grateful to be surrounded by the people around me who care for me and want me to see grow in what I am doing and bring out the rawness of who I am to unlock my potential.