The Power of Choice

2Believe You Have What It Takes

YOU ARE CAPABLE of learning whatever is necessary to achieve your goals. You are capable of becoming the person you dream to be.

When you embrace this belief at your core—at an emotional level, not only a cognitive one—you are better able to sustain the commitment and motivation necessary to engineer your vision. You're able to lean into the challenges inherent in crafting the life you desire. You know that your capacity to learn what's required isn't limited by your hard‐wiring. Your development is determined by the nature of your effort—by what you do to stretch yourself. Your growth is governed by what you learn from your experience.

As you navigate the increasing challenges of an advancing career, profound belief in your capacity to learn can be hard to sustain. I've been struck by how often even the most accomplished professionals confess to having moments of doubt about some aspect of their abilities. Time and time again, folks who have received that sought‐after promotion have confided, “I'm not sure I've got what it takes to make it at this level.” It's one of those dirty little secrets none of us likes to talk about. We put on a good front, but how often do we drive home wondering if we're smart enough or tough enough or skilled enough to succeed in some new challenge that has surfaced in our jobs?

What's the root of this phenomenon? What causes accomplished individuals to harbor doubts about their abilities in some situations? Why are ...