Build Confidence here.

Confidence or experience? Which comes first? Both play a major role in the day-to-day decisions you make that either propel your career or personal life forward.

I often wonder about the decisions I’ve made that have propelled me in my personal life and career.  A decision to go out with my brother in 2006 during Boston’s restaurant week led to meeting my wife, having 2 kids and a white picket fence.  Much to my kid’s disappointment we don’t have a dog. Another decision.

A professional decision to reach out to my current boss while working at another company has led to the most rewarding job I’ve ever held. 

You too have made decisions that have contributed to your own journey.

Those decisions could have been fear based, experience or confidence driven.  How did you recognize the opportunities that have shaped your personal and professional life?  More so, how did you have the confidence to act on them?

Part of my role is to figure out how to motivate and propel others to the next level in their careers. The word that comes to mind in order to boost confidence, experience and opportunity is preparation.  Preparation will boost confidence and mitigate lack of experience.  Some of the greatest stories involve the underdog that wasn’t quite ready for the monumental task laid before them.

Whenever I had a poor showing for a stand-up gig or sale gone sideways, lack of preparation was always the culprit.

My largest sale happened to be the shortest sales cycle of my career.  The right time and place was a factor, however it was pain staking preparation due to the hundreds of sales conducted over the lifespan of my career which landed the deal. In turn, all of that experience built my confidence. 

Unless your product has cornered the market, competition will always be fierce.  Build your confidence by creating your questioning strategy prior to your consultation.  Roleplay the inevitable objections and the gutsy questions you will ask in order to propel your deal forward.  Be prepared with win stories and how you anticipate involving other decision makers in your deal.  The list is long. 

Sometimes I think of that long list when preparing for a road trip with my wife and kids.  Undoubtedly I will forget something, but chances are I’ve done enough planning to feel confident the trip will be successful.  One thing for sure. I won’t forget the dog. 

January is in the books. 11 months until ‘2025. What are you doing to build your confidence?

Sincerely,

Jason