Understanding why Confidence turns to Doubt
With 20 years of experience in Marketing, one might expect me to exude confidence in what I know. I should come to work with unwavering certainty, armed with a deep understanding of what works and what doesn't. However, I find myself plagued by doubts. Interestingly, I recently discovered that this phenomenon has a name: the Dunning-Kruger effect.
"The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals with low ability at a task overestimate their ability, and conversely, highly competent individuals tend to underestimate their competence. It's a paradox that the least competent individuals feel supremely confident, while the most competent individuals doubt their abilities."
When we immerse ourselves in a specialty, we tend to start out overconfident. We feel so excited to "know it" that we feel invincible. Then, as we entrench ourselves, we stumble and learn, we fail, and we progress. Through this process, we begin to doubt our abilities instead of exuding the confidence we felt at the start.
I didn't realize I had become a doubter! I'm not sure when it started, but I can trace it easily to when I pulled back on my career when my son got sick with COVID. Seeing him sick in the hospital, fighting for his life at just one-year-old, really shocks the system. Placing him as my top priority, I dedicated all my attention to him. Now that he's nearly three he has become fiercely independent! Watching him blossom in Montessori school over the last year, I have watched him flourish into a spirited and self-reliant young toddler. Naturally, he has begun pushing me away, which has become challenging to start letting go. The benefit is this has now afforded me the opportunity to rediscover myself.
What I found is someone that needs to remember who she is. I need to remember that I've been doing this for 20 years. I need to remember that I've worked at the premiere agencies in NYC, LA, and Detroit. I've worked on the top brands and launched incredible campaigns that have won awards. I do know how to do this!
With the help of an independent toddler, a supportive husband, a Coach, and a community of NO BS. I am getting my confidence back. I am remembering that I know how to do this, I have to stop doubting myself and speak with the authority that I have.
Understanding this effect is entirely normal and happens all the time helps. It can give us an understanding of how we perceive ourselves and others in various situations, especially in the workplace. It can help us be more critical of our abilities and understanding of those who may appear overly confident but are in fact less competent.
I believe that recognizing the Dunning-Kruger Effect can be a stepping stone to fostering a more self-aware and understanding environment, helping us to better manage expectations and performance for ourselves and those around us.
I'm curious, do you remember being overly confident early in your career? Have you also felt doubt in your abilities even though you are highly competent as an expert in your field?
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