You're Not Under-qualified, You're Under-Confident

By Tricia Scott.

Once upon a time, when I was still convinced that "wait your turn" was solid life advice and that the people on LinkedIn were actual gods in power suits, I also believed that I had to have a bursting-at-the-seams portfolio before anyone would take me seriously.

Ugh That phrase. That ridiculous, creativity-crushing, soul-wilting-like-spinach-in-steam phrase:

"Take me seriously."

As if you had to line up in the p*ssing rain outside the door of the Serious People's Club, wearing your most impressive Ralph Lauren blazer, holding out your little wet resumé and whispering, "Please, sir, may I have some credibility?"

That club is fake. The door is fake. The serious people at the bar with expensive cocktails with real gold bits floating in them? Also fake.

But back then? I thought the grown-ups in the room knew what they were doing. That they'd know if I didn't. That if I dared put myself forward as a writer/coach/strategist/magic-making goddess without ticking every box, they'd hit the panic button, all hell would break loose, and the words  "IMPOSTER ALERT!" would appear above my head in red neon and stay there forever (and ever).

So, naturally, I told myself I needed "a bit more experience. 

A few more clients.

A few more years.

A few more lines on the CV to, you know,  earn my stripes.

And while I was busy waiting in line? Someone else was out there doing the thing. No waiting, just being.

The audacity!

She looked ah-mazing doing it too. Like she'd never once questioned her worth, never once stared into the fridge like it held answers, never once Googled "what is VAT and will it kill me."

And I thought, "Well, I can't compete with that."

So I waited some more.

You can see where this is going, can't you?

It took me an embarrassing amount of time to realise the truth. I wasn't underqualified; I was under-confident.

Experience isn't a title someone gives you. It's not a gold sticker you earn after 10,000 hours, and it's not granted by someone in a higher position on LinkedIn 

It's built. Brick by brick.  

Experience is the act of doing. Of creating the thing you want to be known for before anyone's paying attention. It's showing up day after awkward day, building the business, the body of work, the brave new you.

And you know what?

Your work doesn't need to be validated to be valuable.

And you don't need to be picked to be powerful.

You want to be taken seriously?

Start by taking yourself seriously.

Put your work into the world. Share your thoughts. Make the thing. Try the idea. Lead the charge.

Give yourself the job.

That's how you build a portfolio. That's how you build trust, and that's how you build a life that makes you light up every day.

No more waiting.

You're ready, and I believe in you (always).

 Tricia Scott is a passionate startup business mentor and the Founder and Editor of The Female CEO - Create Evolve Overcome, a platform and digital magazine holding the space to showcase female entrepreneurs from all over the world. 

The Female CEO is gaining global recognition daily and Tricia is able to bring her own level of expertise as a start-up mentor and multi-company director to her very exclusive table along with her team of brilliant Guest Editors and Contributors. You'll usually find her with her MacBook in one hand and a coffee or a glass of something fizzy in the other. Reach out anytime!