“I’m very good at my job.”
What happens when you read that?
Do you find it inspiring? Do you think: good for him, just saying that out loud!
Or do you feel discomfort? Annoyance? Does it make you laugh?
Or do you feel discomfort? Annoyance? Does it make you laugh?
Interestingly enough, that first reaction usually says less about the person saying it, and much more about the person reading or hearing it. About you, in this case. We don’t just react to what someone says; we react to what it triggers in us. In this example, it touches your ideas about modesty. About success. About how visible you are allowed to be. And about what you should or shouldn’t say about yourself. Unconscious rules about how we are ‘supposed’ to behave.
Countless people are good at their jobs—sometimes exceptionally good. Their clients appreciate them, their colleagues rely on them. They make a real impact every day. And yet, you rarely hear someone say, calmly and confidently: “I am good at what I do.” Because we’ve been taught that modesty is the norm. It’s what makes you a ‘good’ person. Just act normal. Wait until someone else points it out. Let your work speak for itself.
Except, that rarely happens.
Managers don’t see everything. Colleagues don’t always know what you contribute. People in positions of influence can only take your qualities and ambitions into account if they can actually see them. As a result, opportunities pass people by. Simply because not enough people know what someone truly has to offer, what their talents are—and what ambitions go along with them.
Visibility is not about bragging. It’s about honestly daring to acknowledge what you are good at.
You don’t have to say you are better than anyone else. But you can easily say:
“I am good at this.”
“I am proud of this.”
“This is the value I bring.”
“I am good at this.”
“I am proud of this.”
“This is the value I bring.”
That isn’t arrogance. That is clarity. And perhaps even a prerequisite for being recognized for what you can truly do.
Try it out right now, while you’re reading this. Say it out loud, even if it’s just to yourself:
“I’m very good at my job.”
What does that feel like? Does it give you a boost, or do you immediately think: what on earth am I doing!?
