You Can’t Afford to Self-Sabotage
The “self-promotion” gap is real and causes all kinds of trouble.
Recently, I was working with a client on writing her narrative bio and she neglected to mention that she’d been featured on national television. Another had omitted her master’s degree because it’s in the arts and she didn’t think it related to her current work in consulting. A third left off her extensive bodywork training even though she’s in the wellness field.
Unfortunately, this is a common story: women unconsciously self-sabotaging by downplaying their major accomplishments. Many women struggle with a “self-promotion gap,” a hesitancy about talking powerfully about their abilities and talents.
Others actively undermine themselves, acknowledging their faults rather than highlighting their successes. This tendency is particularly destructive for solo entrepreneurs who bear the responsibility of marketing themselves. Not being able to talk powerfully and unapologetically about your achievements costs you prestige, income, and credibility, and paves the way for less skilled people to garner more opportunities.
Cultivating the ability to present as capable and confident is crucial to giving yourself the best chance of success. After all the work you’ve put into developing your unique skillset, don’t succumb to the fatal flaw of undercutting yourself and limiting your own growth potential along the way.