Are you a know-it-all?
If you feel the need to be the smartest person in the room, take heart. You’re not.
Why do people feel pressure to KNOW everything?
I would wager it comes from a source of anxiety and fear. Fear of falling behind, fear of feeling like a fraud (damn you, imposter phenomenon), and the very real fear of feeling like you’re not in control.
But do you know what’s even scarier than all that?
The possibility of closing yourself off to discovering something new.
As the Center for The Empowerment Dynamic says “Pretending you know something when you don’t, interrupts your willingness to learn, shuts down new possibilities, and limits your effectiveness.”
For those of us that graduated from the school of “fake it ‘til you make it,” let this be a wake up call.
Because while acting like you’re extremely knowledgeable or confident may get your foot in the door, it’s also the fastest way to get stuck in the doorway.
I highly recommend you take a look at this article from Forbes that talks about how we can flip the roles we play from anxiety and problem-based to passion and outcomes-based. You’ll see just how quickly a little shift in perspective can change your whole approach—and the amount of stress you feel.
Here are a few steps to help you lean into not knowing:
Get comfortable with uncertainty. No one has all the answers. No one can predict the future. You’re not alone in being in the dark. It’s ok to admit that you don’t know, to ask for help, or to take a pause, recognizing that you might need more information before you can make a decision.
Get good and curious. Break out of your comfort zone and try to pick up a new skill or hobby or challenge yourself to explore a place you’ve never been or a subject you know nothing about. Growth rarely happens when we’re comfortable!
Take a course or sign up for coaching. TLP offers a wide variety of options for our members and access to free online tools that might help you change your perspective in how you think about things. My personal favorite is the One Page Personal Plan (03P) to help you really break free from the perpetual self-talk that no longer serves us.
Here’s to always being ready to learn a thing or two.
Ready to start learning now? Sign up for our newsletter and get insight and acceleration delivered right to your inbox. Also, Bill covers topics like this (and then some) on LinkedIn all the time—connect and join the conversation!