Of Course I Can Do That…?

I have been attempting to write an “About Me” page on this website, and have failed miserably so far. This is evidenced very plainly by the fact that there currently isn’t an “About Me” page. (Fret not, I swear that one is coming.) The reason it still hasn’t been done isn’t because I am unsure of who I am, but rather, I am unsure of how to effectively communicate who I am. What is relevant? What would be useful, effective, helpful, [insert correct adjective here] for people to know? Basically, how do I market me?

This is a fascinatingly confusing subject for me since I think that, at least in person, I can market myself pretty well. The only problem is that I don’t realize that I’m doing it, and am not really sure how to pick out the important bits and communicate those. I was told the other day that I was confident, even though I try and talk myself out of it. Which is annoyingly accurate. I have also been told, and I quote, to “stop listening to yourself so much, and start listening to other people. You know, the people that say you can do it.”

So is this a failure in confidence on my part? I’m not so sure it’s as simple as that. I finished The Confidence Code recently, which I strongly believe should be read by any woman that is planning on working at any point in her life. But in reading this book, realized that I probably have an above average confidence level, at least intrinsically. Somehow, between the intrinsic faith I have in myself and the communication of my abilities, the words get lost.

And that’s the odd line of confidence and confident self marketing that I’m currently walking right now. Do you fake it until you make it? The Confidence Code touched on that, suggesting this strategy only works to a point, since confidence is something that people can instinctively pick up on. So faking it will only take you so far before others figure it out. Right now, when tasked with a project I don’t really know how to complete, but am interested in, I say “Of course I can do that…?” I should probably stop ending that phrase with an upward tone in my voice, making my response sound like a question. That does not incite confidence.

“Of course I can do that,” she stated emphatically. That does sound better.

It’s probably a combination of that mode of thinking and incrementally getting experience that I can add to my knowledge base. I think I can do it, but also know it, since I’ve done this before. Hopefully the self marketing is just an initial push, which will propel me forward as it gains more momentum. In the meantime, Google is getting a lot of hits that vaguely resemble an existential crisis topped neatly with some technological ennui. What is it about me, that is stopping my “About Me”?

Originally published at marisamorby.com on September 19, 2014.

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