The thought that’s stealing all your confidence

When you feel like everyone else is miles ahead

You have an unnerving sense of low-grade panic when you look around the department and think, “How is everyone doing so much?”

They’ve got a new grant.

They’re doing a keynote at a conference in Vienna.

They somehow have a functioning research pipeline and plants that aren’t dead.

And you start doing mental maths — trying to figure out how far “behind” you are and how you’re going to catch up.

But here’s the truth.

There is no such thing as “behind.”

Behind is not a real place.

It’s just a thought.

So here’s the work:

1. Ask yourself, Where do I actually want to be?
   (Not where the university, your department or your inner perfectionist thinks “successful academics” should be).  Where you want to be!

2. Then ask, What do I need to do to get there?
   Map the steps, make the plan and focus on the next thing.

3. And then — decide you’re not behind.
   Unsubscribe from the idea that you’re behind.  All it does is create panic.  Decide you’re exactly where you need to be to take the next step.

And when you stop believing that thought, you stop grinding out the work for your worth and start creating what you want from a sufficient place.

You stop trying to catch up — and you start leading.

Let’s go.

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