Like any relationship, building trust with yourself requires effort. Here are simple exercises you can do in just 5 minutes a day to trust yourself as a leader.
A few weeks ago, I emphasized the importance of peer relationships in advancing your career. However, there is one relationship that surpasses all others when it comes to being a great leader – the relationship you have with yourself.
Building a trusted relationship with yourself is the key to unlocking your leadership potential and becoming the best leader you can be.
When you trust yourself as a leader, you gain the freedom to rely on your instincts, navigate challenges, make mistakes, be authentic, celebrate others, make decisions, empower your team, embrace vulnerability, and take risks.
This self-trust ensures that you always have your own back, no matter what happens.
Think about the energy and mental space you can save by eliminating worries and overthinking. No more second-guessing, seeking constant validation, trying to control everything, overworking to prove yourself, or missing opportunities due to fear of failure.
Trusting yourself is the gateway to becoming a great leader and enjoying the success you’re creating.
Now, here’s the reality: as a leader, you probably both trust yourself and don’t trust yourself at the same time. What does your self-trust allow you to do as a leader? And what behaviors does your lack of self-trust create that get in your way?
Like any relationship, building trust with yourself requires effort. If you’re eager to strengthen the bond of trust between yourself and yourself, I want to share some simple exercises you can do in just 5 minutes each day to nurture this relationship and accelerate your leadership potential.
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Goal Clarity
Start by clarifying your goals. A goal acts as a filter for success and keeps you on track. Take 5 minutes to make a list of what you want to trust yourself to do. Some items may be areas you already trust yourself, while others may be aspirational.
Start a list and add to it over time. Here are a few examples to get you started:
- I trust myself to eventually figure anything out.
- I trust myself not to beat myself up as I figure it out.
- I trust myself to fail and not judge myself.
- I trust myself to ask for help when I need it.
- I trust myself to take care of my mental health and avoid overworking.
- I trust myself to listen to my instincts.
- I trust my own opinion.
- I trust myself to speak my mind.
Set Intentions and Celebrate Wins
If you want to transform a relationship, intentional action is crucial. Without purposeful effort, your brain will default to old behaviors and beliefs. So, now that you’ve set your relationship goals, it’s time to put them into practice.
Each morning, take a few minutes to choose something from your list to focus on throughout the day. Maintain the same intention for a couple of weeks to build momentum and reinforce the desired change. I personally find it helpful to write my intention on a sticky note placed at the top of my notebook.
Once you’ve set your intention, the key is to actively practice it as often as possible during the day. Engage in behaviors that align with your intention, and be mindful of opportunities to put them into action.
At the end of the day, it’s time to celebrate. In James Clear’s book “Atomic Habits,” he emphasizes the importance of rewards in establishing new habits. In your case, the celebration involves creating a list of what worked well during the day. Write down your wins, as this process allows your brain to fully process and internalize the positive outcomes.
Future Pace
Normally what you do is make decisions based on evidence from your past and what you think about yourself right now. The problem is if you make decisions from your current state, then you stay in your current state, and it’s harder to become what you want to be.
Instead, you want to make decisions from the mindset of the person you want to become.
Future pacing involves making choices from the perspective of your future self who has already achieved self-trust. Throughout the day, use your intention to explore situations and make decisions from your future self. For example, ask yourself questions like;
- What would I do if I trusted my own opinion?
- How would I handle this if I knew I would eventually figure it out?
Bottom Line: Building a trusted relationship with yourself is the ultimate foundation for being a great leader.
It gives you the freedom to rely on your instincts, make confident decisions, and empower your team. By setting clear goals, setting daily intentions, and practicing future pacing, you can nurture this relationship and unlock your full leadership potential. Trust yourself, and watch your success soar!
