The most important advice you could tell your younger self!

What is the most important advice you could tell your younger self?

I was asked this very question by Nottingham Trent Business School students recently whilst advising on mock assessments. At first my mind went blank. Then a string of typical “management speak” phrases leapt to mind.

No Good!

Then the memory hit me.  That’s it! I realised that actually the most important thing I could tell my younger self is to have CONFIDENCE!

Yep – to believe in yourself. That simple.

Like most kids and teenagers, I was wracked with self-doubt. Am I going to get the right grades? Complete that coursework to deadline? (um… actually do the coursework!). Can I take a sickie from my dead end first job to go to an interview for my then dream job?

Of course – I don’t have a TARDIS like Doctor Who. I’m lucky to have a car that gets me from A to B on time let alone go back in time!

So – who gave my younger self confidence? For the job interview it was my Mum. She simply looked at me, all suited and booted with self-doubt oozing from every pore and just said “What have you got to lose Mary? If you go and it doesn’t work you still have a job. If you go and it goes well – you’ll have a great new job!”

And that was that really. Thank you Mum. She gave my younger self the confidence to do something different and take a chance.

I got that job and it was the best feeling – I still to this day remember walking out of the offices in Hampton Wick with the sun streaming down bouncing off the Thames and the sky that perfect cornflower blue of summer. I recall thinking “now Mary – you have to walk to the end of the road and turn right before squealing or jumping!” And that’s exactly what I did. I squealed in pure and simple delight as soon as I turned that corner in the road.

This is a true story – so if you were walking near Hampton Court bridge 25 odd years ago and recall a smartly dressed girl in red jumping up and down laughing – that was me!

I told the students this story and thought I’d share this with you.

So – believe in yourself.

You’ll be amazed what you can achieve with a bit of confidence!