Do you have a lot of answers?

If you do, please enlighten me. I have almost none :-)

I had a virtual training yesterday morning for leaders of a multi-billion dollar company. We were talking about the psychology of peak performance and motivation, and someone asked a question.

It was around stretch goals, budgets and pay compensation.

One of the leaders chimed in with his opinion, but also said to me, “I’m sure you’ll tell us all the answer in a second.”

I hated to disappoint but I had to let him know that I have almost no answers.

Answers are for science and math. Numerical, finite things.

But as long as we’re talking about human behavior, an unsolvable equation, anyone that claims to have “answers” is sadly mistaken.

It’s infinitely complex.

What I DO have are recommendations based on education, my experiences, the experiences of others, and gut intuition.

From that, I derive best practices.

I write today’s email on this topic because I’ve had a few conversations lately on Imposter Syndrome. It’s a real thing that many successful people suffer from. It hits me from time to time, too.

One of the key components to feeling like you are an imposter is that you’re fraudulent. Not ready. Unqualified.

And part of what makes you feel this way is that you don’t yet have the ANSWERS. But as soon as you find the answers, THEN you’ll be ready and qualified.

Please stop looking. Those answers will never come.

(unless we’re talking about science and math)

The need for answers and to have something “figured out”, before getting started, is what paralyzes action in many people.

It should be freeing to know that you can put yourself in situations to stretch and grow and thrive without these answers.

And those experiences are what allow us to give better recommendations, to ourselves and to others.

Keep Outperforming,