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Time travel
PLUS: A different take on imposter syndrome
For the next 5 minutes, let’s elevate your career.
In today’s email:
A different take on imposter syndrome
Pens for everyone
Time travel
Replenish
Chung Ju-yung as career coach
ON YOUR CAREER
A different take on imposter syndrome
Imposter syndrome is when people doubt their abilities, fearing they’ll be exposed as frauds, despite evidence of their competence
Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist and Wharton’s top-rated professor for seven consecutive years. He offered a fresh perspective on imposter syndrome, reframing it as an indicator of hidden potential instead of a sign of inadequacy.
Grant argues that other people are often better judges of our capability than we are. And, when multiple people believe in you, it might be time to believe them. He encourages people to overcome self-doubt by the external validation they receive.
COMMUNICATION
Pens for everyone
We want all participants in team meetings to contribute their opinions. Coacha team meetings are typically around a large whiteboard. We write and draw our ideas. To democratise our meetings, everyone has a whiteboard marker. Nobody has to wait for ink.
Before God, we are all equally wise, and equally foolish.
PRODUCTIVITY
Time travel
High performing people balance time perspectives. They think productively about past, present, and future. The table below has examples of helpful and unhelpful behaviors we can choose:
Time Perspective | Helpful Behaviors | Unhelpful Behaviors |
Past | Recall past successes to gain self-belief and resilience. | Be arrogant and hubristic about past successes. |
Present | Work on important projects and perform high value tasks. | Be reactive and spend your day doing busy work. |
Future | Lifelong learning and consider strategic options for your career. | Neglect your long-term development and take short cuts. |
1 MINUTE TO DEAL WITH MORE STRESS
Replenish
Friedrich Nietzsche said, ‘what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.’ This quote is used to express resilience in the face of adversity. It also assumes we have capacity to deal with additional stress.
We need to keep replenishing our capacity. This might be done by upskilling, having leisure, or getting support from allies at work and home. Taking care of our physical health is a foundation of resilience.
If we don’t replenish, we can deplete with exhaustion. In which case, more stress won’t make us stronger.
Recovery is an important word and a vital concept. It means renewal of life and energy. Knowing how and when to recover may prove to be the most important skill in your life.
GET SMARTER
Chung Ju-yung
Chung Ju-yung (1915-2001) was born to impoverished farmers in what is now North Korea. Frustrated by near-starvation, he moved to Seoul at 18 to work as a manual labourer. Chung then owned a rice store that closed under Japanese occupation, experienced his auto repair store burn to the ground, and lost a factory to North Korean invaders.
Chung embodied tenacity and positivity. His work ethic was like few others. He performed construction projects for the US military and grew his Hyundai conglomerate. Hyundai encompassed automobiles, construction, shipbuilding, and electronics. These would make him the richest man in South Korea. Chung’s business skills contributed to South Korea’s rapid economic development.
His legacy extends beyond business. Chung’s philanthropy established nine hospitals, a medical college, and a research institute. His inspiring autobiography, Born of This Land, also reveals his deep love of family. Some of Chung’s wisdom:
Have you tried it?
It turns out it is much more important to be determined than smart.
If there is no way, you can find a way and, if you can’t find a way, you can always pave the way.