You may have heard of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, characters from the Old Testament book of Revelation who are sent by God to bring conquest, war, famine and death, signalling the end of the world.
This podcast is no religious study, of course! But the story is a perfect metaphor for impending doom and an apt description of the four work behaviours which, if left unchecked, could lead to your career stalling or even coming to an end.
These four behaviours are:
1. Overworking – when you waste time doing work which adds no value.
The signs:
- Labouring over emails
- Excessively checking your work
- Not delegating
- Not finishing tasks
- Being a perfectionist.
2. Overthinking – when you waste time and compromise your performance with types of thinking that add no value.
The signs:
- Worrying you are going to let people down
- Procrastinating
- Being scared of not knowing the answer.
3. Playing small – when you don’t get the recognition or opportunities you deserve because you‘re hiding and keeping your head down to avoid being seen or risking failure.
The signs:
- Keeping quiet in meetings
- Passing up opportunities
- Not showcasing your value.
4. Self-sabotage – when you limit your potential by undermining yourself as soon as you start to make progress.
The signs:
- Judging yourself
- Discounting praise
- Taking negative feedback personally instead of using it as a learning experience.
All of these behaviours are driven by fear, your brain’s response to the perceived threat (of being exposed) that you feel when you are a high achiever with Imposter Syndrome. And all of these behaviours add no value. They make you less efficient, and less productive.
You behave like this because your brain craves safety. Ironic, then, that it’s these behaviours that are making you less secure in your career.
The Four Horsemen represent the four ways you are galloping away from the fear brought on by your Imposter Syndrome. But every time you run away, you reinforce a negative circle of behaviour. Imposter Syndrome is who you are – so continually running from your Imposter Syndrome means you’re running from yourself!
But you can never outrun yourself.
In this episode, I explain how holding on to the Four Horsemen threatens to derail your career. I reveal that the way to STOP these behaviours is to solve your Imposter Syndrome. This means figuring out who you really are, and what is your unique value.
It’s time to say goodbye to the Four Horsemen and the limiting, negative effects they bring. Solve your Imposter Syndrome, and look forward to fulfilling your potential, getting the recognition you deserve, better balance, and more confidence.
Check out Imposter Speech Coaching, where I walk you step by step through the process of solving your Imposter Syndrome, taking action from a place of trust (instead of fear) and staying committed until you achieve your goal.
Enrolment for the July 2022 class opens on 1st June. Go to carolineflanagan.com/imposter-speech-coaching, and sign up to the waitlist to make sure you get the details.