You may not be a character in a Marvel comic book, but you have superpowers none-the-less, and they are the foundation of your personal brand. When you embrace what makes you unique, and display your superpowers to the world, you appear more credible, confident and attractive to the people around you.
Why We Hold Back on Expressing our Super Powers
When I was a child, teachers always told me that I wasn’t performing at my full potential. I held myself back because I’d been taught not to “show off” my natural gifts. Unfortunately, a lot of us learn this lesson from our parents, family members, and friends when we’re young. We stop short of expressing our full potential because we’re afraid of being rejected, ridiculed, or abandoned.
What’s worse, people often try to be someone they’re not just to fit in. Many women have been conditioned to play small, be polite, and let men take the lead. The fear of standing out can have life-long consequences, especially in their careers. Women are told that to succeed in “a man’s world,” they have to be assertive, competent and confident. And yet, when they stand up for their beliefs or share strong options, they’re labeled the “B” word.
It’s Time to Embrace Your Super Powers
If you’ve spent a lifetime working to create a persona that isn’t in line with your natural gifts, it can be a challenge to step into your power and assert yourself. But when you embrace your abilities, you accept who you are at your most authentic level. That is the first step to building your brand.
Here are a few easy ways you can begin to tap into your superpowers and share them with the world.
- Trust in your experience and knowledge. There’s this belief that we need to acquire more skills, get more education, or ask the experts before we take action. Trust that you know enough to get the job done. I’m not saying you shouldn’t build your skills but start with your existing knowledge base and expand from there.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. When you do need assistance, ask for it, especially if you’re in a leadership position. No one will think you’re any less competent. If what you’re working on is outside of your area of expertise, find someone who knows more and ask that person for insight.
- Rely on your resilience: Women are incredibly resilient. That’s because we traditionally get passed over more often for raises and promotions. Know that you have the inner strength to endure more, learn from your hardships, and push past adversity. If something terrible happens, put on your big girl pants, deal with it and move on.
- Embrace your vulnerability: There’s a time and place to share your feelings, but in general, we’re all far too closed off at work. Strength isn’t about shutting people out or acting tough to prove your authority. When you’re open and vulnerable with your team, you show them who you are and why they should follow you.
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10 Superpower Words
If you’re worried about how others will react to you once you embrace your superpowers, know that we all get push-back at one point or another. It might come from your boss, someone on your team, or even a family member. Work to understand why they’re responding the way they are. Always remember that there’s a big difference between push-back and bullying. Push-back is an attempt to gain clarity; bullying is an attempt to gain the upper hand.
Are you ready to be bold and create a super personal brand that’s grounded in your unique skills? Contact me today to discuss how I can help.
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