I’m going to be a little vulnerable on this one today, but I try hard to be authentic in the blog, so this felt like the right move.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of — Am I doing enough? One of the things I don’t like about social media (and I’ve been guilty too) is that everyone shares just the wins. Scrolling can be one giant list of:
- promotions and new titles
- major career announcements
- keynote stages and conference spotlights
- awards and recognition
- viral posts and growing platforms
Those are all good things, but it’s easy to quickly internalize. I’ve caught myself a couple of times over the last few weeks saying, “Am I doing enough?” or more plainly, “Am I enough?”
The answer (of course) is yes, but it’s that isn’t always the natural default when constantly seeing a highlight reels of others. It can become easy to rationalize that everyone’s full story is what’s online and miss the fact we all struggle, have challenges, and aren’t perfect.
As a thought leader, this is particularly challenging because thought leadership requires engaging online. My first instinct is to step away from social platforms, but that likely won’t work. Bowing out creates a personal moment of safety, but it can also run counter to the impact I want to have. In stepping away to protect myself from comparison, I risk minimizing the very contributions I hope to make.
The answer, at least for me, is staying put, and making sure that I’m focusing my attention on a few strategies that keep me zeroed in on helping others and less on evaluating my worth.
Here are five approaches that have been working for me:
Look Backward
Too often we focus on the next big thing. I have been forcing myself to pause and think back to all the great things that have happened. Doing this helps remind me of the positive impact I’ve had on our profession. A year or two ago I started a “win” journal. In it, I just write down wins that I’ve had. Going through it has reminded me of the value I bring to my institution and our profession.
Defining My Own Success
I’ve shared several times that I started my website and thought leadership with no real plan. It was just writing and being present. There was something genuine about that time. Now that I’ve been doing this work for over four years, I’m trying to put some strategy around it. In doing that, it’s a good time to decide how I define success. This season has been a good reminder to set goals bigger than just social media evaluation. As I set my own goals, it’s key to focus on impact and stay zoned in on those metrics.
Separate Platform from Purpose
It’s so easy to chase likes, engagement, and mentions. Inherently, those aren’t bad, but if they become the sole driver, it can pull focus. For me, the purpose of my thought leadership is helping the next generation of higher education marketing leaders. That can happen in a multitude of ways. Social platforms are one vehicle to do that work. Knowing that helps me focus on the work itself and less on whether something performed well. Meaningful work also happens on campus, in conversations around town, and in one-on-one networking moments. Those things are rarely reflected on a platform.
Take the Conversation Offline
One of my favorites parts of my thought leadership is the mentorship and networking moments I’ve been afforded. Spending time with those people is such a joy, and it is so fulfilling. I have multiple people who started as colleagues and have become dear friends. Getting to chat more with them about life, our challenges, and our work makes it much easier to see the impact. It’s a good reminder that some of the best moments aren’t a post at all.
Honor the Struggle
A mentor of mine regularly said “honor the struggle.” I hated that phrase. I (like many) want to get through the struggle as quickly as possible. However, when we wrestle with the struggle, good things often come out of it. Instead of trying to completely change everything to get past the struggle, I think there’s value in acknowledging a current challenge but continuing to show up despite it. I’m reminding myself each day that I am honoring the struggle when I engage, despite not feeling 100% into it. I know this will help me overall, even if I don’t see it today.
The Work Continues
I know that questioning worth can be natural from time to time, which is part of why I wanted to share about it in today’s blog. As a leader who’s focused on impact, it’s important to share challenges and struggles when I face them.
That vulnerability is one of the things I’m most proud of in my work. I try really hard to be honest about the challenges. You can see it in the posts I’ve done on imposter syndrome, doubt and worry, and now chasing perfection.
To be honest, I don’t have it all figured out. There are some days that are easier than others, but sharing my struggles authentically has always felt as important as sharing the wins.
Thanks for giving me the grace and the space to be real with you. I am proud of this work, and in my heart, I know it matters. And because it matters, I’ll keep showing up.
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