They say that success starts by just showing up. Some days that is easier than others. There are plenty of reasons we may not want to get up and after it any given day. Just showing up is success because it’s all about breaking through the first wall you encounter that day.
But internal motivation is also about more than showing up. It’s about demonstrating trust in yourself. Early in my career, I was taught to never ask a question you already know the answer to. Many of us have the habit of feigning uncertainty to make sure someone else agrees before committing to the answer. It is the same concept as continuing to revise your work past the point where it is ready for a first review. Doubt leads us to extend timelines and put more work in before feedback than is necessary.
Part of being a good leader is encouraging people to trust themselves and develop tools to put themselves in the best positions to succeed. Our own doubts and fears chase all of us at times but the more tools we develop within ourselves to overcome them, the better we become.
Being willing to ask others for help is one of the best tools we can develop. If we don’t know but also don’t ask for help, there is a very slim chance of guessing correctly over and over. The fear associated with “I don’t know” can be professionally debilitating. Learning that it’s not just ok to ask for help but encouraged is powerful. The relationships that build between people who help each other are always going to be stronger than relationships built around most other foundations.