Finding My Own Career Confidence And Rewriting My Life Script!
Everyone who works in TV, both on camera and behind-the-scenes is really confident, right? Wrong! Having worked in Television for nearly 20 years, twelve of them as a Producer and then Senior Producer, I've seen my fair share of people who from the outside look like they've got the self-belief we'd all love to have, but inside they're doubting themselves, just as much as the next person. From presenters, celebrity guests, bosses, colleagues...oh and myself! I can hold my hands up and honestly say that there were times in my TV career that I felt like an imposter and I didn't feel confident in what I was doing. At age just 26, I got my first TV Producer job. I was working on one of the longest running and best known daytime shows in the UK, and little old me was responsible for outputting an hours worth of TV content, daily to the nation - and it was going out LIVE, so no room for error. A big part of my job was also briefing the talent on the show - both the presenters and celebrity guests - many of whom were household names who I'd watched on TV growing up. Not intimidating at all! "What if I mess up?", "What if they think I'm too young to do this job and they don't respect me?", "What if I've just blagged my way here and everyone discovers I can't actually do the job?" What if, what if, what if...."what if I give myself a break, take each day as it comes and what if it all goes brilliantly? And do you know what? It did! That's not to say I didn't make mistakes or those imposter syndrome feelings didn't rear their ugly head now and again, but over time my confidence grew because I ensured that I applied lots of practical tools and techniques to help me gain that inner belief in myself.
MY CROSSROADS
For many, many years I loved working in television, and facing the daily challenges that were thrown at me. But then, I had another crisis of confidence. I knew I was no longer happy in the television industry - I'd started my own family and the long hours and lack of work-life balance just wasn't working for me any longer. I knew I needed to change career for my overall happiness, but what the hell was I going to change to? All I knew was television. Who would hire me? For a good few years I did nothing. I was too scared to do anything more than just complain to my family and friends. Then one day while I was out in the car running errands, my daughter in the backseat and me 6 months pregnant with my second child, I had a crash! Thankfully everyone was ok. It was totally my fault. I drove into the back of a car. But one thing that kept going round in my head was that at the very moment of the accident, I'd been thinking about work. Clearly, the only person at fault was me, I should have been paying more attention, but I couldn't help thinking that this was life, the universe or whatever you want to call it, telling me that something had to change. I was feeling really unhappy and stressed at work and couldn't continue spinning all the plates. It was my crossroads - the moment I knew I had to decide - do I continue living my life like this or do I choose another direction?
HELPING OTHERS CHOOSE THEIR PATH TO GREATNESS
In the end, I decided to leave my job and the career I'd known for nearly 20 years and start again. I didn't have the whole future plan figured out by any stretch when I left my job, but I realised I didn't have to. All I needed to know was what my one small next baby step would be, and the confidence to know that I'd work it out along the way. My mission now is to help other professionals gain the confidence they need in their career to really enjoy what they do. Whether that's to feel confident in their current role or to find the confidence and change career totally. It's time to live life on your terms and start enjoying all aspects of your career again. Don't get me wrong, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone isn't easy, but what are your options? Keep on going down the same old path of unhappiness and unfulfillment or pivot and re-define what you want your future to look like? Take the leap! Build your confidence and unlock your professional potential!
