After 23 years at the same stable company, I walked away. I was inspired... and I was terrified.
I had just read "Rich Dad Poor Dad," and it planted this idea in my head that I could make more money, get a huge variety of experience, and see different cultures by leaping into the world of contracting. The idea sounded amazing. But my confidence? It was at zero. I honestly didn't think I could do it.
But I did it. I handed in my resignation and walked into my first contracting job. The impostor syndrome was deafening. I knew that as a contractor, you're not given the "runway." You don't get weeks to slowly settle in. You're being paid top dollar, which means you have to deliver from day one. The pressure was immense.
I knew I couldn't just sit there and panic. I had to have a strategy. I decided my confidence would be built on my ability to deliver. So I created a system for myself.
The first thing I did? I grabbed a pen and a notebook.
In every single meeting, I paid attention and scribbled down every name they mentioned, every project code, every acronym. I was building a "command center" of information. I identified the key players with whom I need to liaise and collaborate in order to be successful.
I built a name catalog of all the people whom I met or was introduced to so that I would never be the guy who had to ask, "Sorry, what's your name again?" It's a small thing, but it's about respect, and it gets you noticed.
This meticulous approach was my lifeline. It was my strategy. It allowed me to build a network, quickly understand the business, and be perceived as someone who was in control and knew what they were doing.
And the strategy worked.
I was able to deliver from day one. And the confidence? It didn't come on the first day. It came later, when I realized my system was working. The action had to come first. The confidence was just the result.
I used that exact strategy of intense observation and that immediate networking from one contract to the next. I built on it for 12 years. By the time I left the contracting world, I had done it: I had the massive experience, the great relationships, the good money, and the unshakable confidence I was looking for.
That's the lesson. Don't wait to feel confident. Create a plan, focus on the first small step, even if it's just a notebook and a pen, and take action. The confidence will follow.
What's one small strategy or "system" you've used to build your own confidence when facing something new?
I'd love to hear it.
Sarfraz.
P.S. If my story resonates and you feel like you're on a long, winding road without a clear map, let's change that.
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