Confidence - is it without or within?

I've just had a very interesting conversation with someone who has, for 50 years, been looking outside himself for approval. He was brought up believing that he shouldn't expect too much but through sheer determination and necessity has found himself in a senior position in a successful organisation, surpassing everyone's expectations of his ability.

Interestingly, until recently, he was suffering from 'Imposter Syndrome', waiting to be caught out because he didn't feel he deserved to be sitting around the board table with his peers. For years he allowed his self-limiting beliefs to colour his judgement and hold him back from achieving even greater things.

Today however he's realised that confidence is something he carries within himself, not something he gets from other people and now feels empowered and self-dependent. He finally trusts his own judgement and is free to be honest and authentic. He still appreciates it when the boss confirms he's doing a good job - but he's not reliant on his feedback because he knows it already. It's been like a door opening and he's now ready to walk through it and see how far he can go.

It's amazing what happens when you get out of your own way, don't you think?

More food for thought..................................