Many people in business are secretly driven by their insecurities and a fear of judgement.

Often they never stop to realise it. 

For me, it first showed up as a feeling where you have to prove something to someone else.

Have you had that Jarrod?

That pressure to back up perceptions you think that other people have of you and be ‘successful’.

But when you look in the mirror, sometimes you don’t see that ‘successful’ person looking back at you.

And that can either lead to imposter syndrome or cause you to take on unnecessary risks to prove shit to those people.

But it gets worse!

Because then your ego steps in and cheers you on…

I can remember a few times when this exact process happened. 

I chased after growth and opportunities at the cost of loads of other things.

Profitability, company culture, relationships and even my own health in some cases.

Don't get me wrong, I made a ton of progress during that time.

And from the outside, everything looked like I was crushing life.

But there was always a feeling of being behind.

And if you’ve ever experienced this, it properly sucks.

So here are a collection of reminders and learnings from those phases that I carry with me:

Insecurities:

They often lead to impatience - a rush to achieve success and validation from others.

This can make you do really dumb things.

Instead, know that everything isn’t as urgent as you make out. So slow down, test, seek feedback and make better decisions.

Pleasing Others:

When you're eager to prove yourself in the short term, you risk neglecting valuable parts of the process and exposing yourself to epic burnout.

And for what? To make someone else accept you?

None of that is ever worth it.

TV Isn’t Reality:

Society imposes unrealistic timelines for success in business.

It leaves you feeling like you’ve got to have your entire business mapped out or be financially successful by a certain age or time. 

And when these expectations aren't met, it's easy to pound yourself with self-criticism and be left with the feeling of being "behind" or ‘too late’.

Don’t buy into it.

The Long Game:

The remedy for all of this is to play the long game. 

For me, I will always be building businesses. That’s who I am. 

So if I get the opportunity to do that every day, then who gives a shit about the rest, because I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

(This is the bit about enjoying the journey)

Unhappiness:

It normally stems from the gap between where you are, and where you think you should be by now.

It's natural to feel like you want more. 

But take a minute sometimes to be freaken grateful for what you have and how far you’ve come.

Self-Reflection:

It’s a superpower.

Taking time out to reflect on your progress and realign with your goals is a fundamental habit of building a successful and happy life. 

But also take time to reflect on why you’re chasing things in the first place and what’s driving you (like we’re doing here). 

Set reminders in your calendar to prompt self-reflection at least once a year.

Comparisons:

That comparison you make between your life and other people's (especially on social media) starts a raging blaze of insecurity. 

Remember that everyone's path is different and people rarely share their struggles - only the wins.

Instead of comparing. Specialise in being you. Not being them. 

Seek Brutal Honesty:

Hearing tough feedback makes you a better and more resilient human. 

Except finding people who will risk everything to share it is rare. 

Respect how hard it is to share the things no one else will and try your hardest to surround yourself with people who have your back, are patient and share things to make you better. 

You need people to get brutally honest with you about your blindsides, but not to hold you back - to push you forward.

That’s it for today.

The massive lesson in all of this (for me) is to become more self-aware of the role insecurities play in how I make decisions.

Whether it’s chasing opportunities for the right reasons (not to prove shit to others).

Or being happy playing the slow game building something valuable every day while it looks like others are getting ahead faster.

The key is to work on your mindset as much as your business.

I hope this helps!