What I’ve learned about confidence when ‘out in the woods’ building new futures
‘If you don’t go out in the woods, nothing will ever happen and your life will never begin’ — says Clarissa Pinkola Estés, an award-winning poet, Jungian psychoanalyst and my current favourite author of ‘Women Who Run With the Wolves’, a deeply spiritual, inspiring (and definitely wild) piece of work on the inner life of women.
I read this book straight after I had made a major U-turn in my life, changing my career from HR to business building as I joined Launchpad in January 2020. Launchpad’s mission is to scale new businesses that help deliver cleaner, more affordable and more reliable energy. For me personally, this was a precious opportunity to challenge myself, grow, and have a real positive impact on the world of today and tomorrow.
So here I am, properly ‘out in the woods’ and figuring out what this new path is all about. The Launchpad team is a talented, smart-yet-humble bunch, passionate about the mission and pushing through challenges together. We are a start-up ourselves, and our culture code, that we developed overnight over pizzas and beers, is now proving to be a guiding force for us in our everyday challenges.
I’ve also realised that my job title can be anything from venture builder to brand developer, programme design lead to culture champion, depending on the mission I am working on. The diversity of tasks is nothing like I’ve experienced before: Connecting with start-ups to evaluate their business plans; Attending a green energy angel investment pitch event; Designing and then leading a business incubation programme; Rocket booster challenge. The breadth (and the stretch) is both fascinating and scary at times, but as my new friend Clarissa says: “Sometimes there are no words to help one’s courage. Sometimes you just have to jump.”
A new or stretching job, or generally attempting something different, can be great for confidence and also create a dent in confidence. It can be very easy to start questioning our own competence and capability and take on (most likely self-imposed) pressure to know everything. I’ve been feeling that way too at times, as I am going through a steep learning curve in a new role, new industry and a new way of working.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown and its effects on the world (both on societal and economic levels), all of us are finding ourselves adjusting to the new ways of being, at work and at home. For many perfectionists and/or over-thinkers (like me) this can inevitably include creeping concerns: will I be able to still do my job well? Will I have a job at all? How do I keep learning? How do I stay connected? How do support my loved ones? Add your particular challenge here if you can relate.
Building our own (and others’) confidence up is very important to make sure we are resilient to get over this crisis, or any other personal crises, and stay on top of our game (whatever your game is). While I am not a ‘confidence-building’ expert, I’m learning through personal experience that some things do help:
1. Experiment, fail, learn, repeat
Choosing to stay inactive or sticking to your ‘comfort zone’ will only make you continue on the same trajectory. Even if the situation is not great, it’s about trying to make the most of it — with the right mindset, or ‘grow mindset’ to reference our entrepreneur-in-residence. At Launchpad, we call ourselves ‘hustlers’ — we execute at pace, fail fast and own our business. Failure is a better teacher than success — the key is not to be afraid of it.
2. Sync with others
If you are dealing with a personal challenge, it is very easy to go into ‘hide away’ mode or go for ‘sole warrior’ approach if that’s in your character. What I’ve found more effective is to push myself to keep connected with others — through active listening, learning from others, and sharing feedback with love. The focus then shifts to ‘how we can build something great together’. We build a feeling of belonging, working towards a goal together, despite the distance and virtual technology (limitations). No wonder animals (like wolves) always stay together and are most protective of their packs at times of adversity.
3. Be kind to yourself
It’s the ‘stormy’ times that usually test the ways we treat ourselves; when the critical inner voice is chipping away at our confidence and self-esteem. Practising self-compassion creates a route to a more resilient mental state, a lifeline for our well-being. It is not about manipulating emotions to feel better but rather making time for simple, humble acts of kindness. It may mean different things for different people so finding a practical way (comforting cup of tea, journaling, meditation) is a good way to start.
Whether starting a new job, dealing with lockdown conditions or facing a personal or business challenge, your inner confidence helps to find that ‘new path in the woods’. It helps you build strong foundation to ‘weather the storm’ and create new beautiful things. Keep hustling, stay close to your pack, be kind to yourself, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Need help, or want to find out what we’re building at Launchpad? Visit https://www.itslaunchpad.com
