Confidence is key–a common yet crucially important phrase that highlights one of the biggest generational issues: the gender success gap. While not all gender inequality stems from confidence–or lack thereof–it is what we can use to fight against it.
Embedded in the text below are excerpted quotes from a series of interviews conducted by sophomore Annabelle Brusky as part of her Middle Years Program Project “Empowered Women Empowering Women.” The interviews feature a variety of women stemming from different backgrounds and career fields. Dahlia Lithwick, a senior editor for Slate Magazine and host of the court-focused Amicus law podcast, shared her experience on dealing with confidence.
“The single most important thing young women can do is just do public speaking, do it, do it, do it, until your face hurts,” Lithwick said. “We are really great at this, but we often sideline ourselves. All the data shows that women would rather be hit by a bus than give a speech in public. […] I’ve been a debater my whole life, I think the most important thing you can do is just get comfortable talking in front of people.”
Lithwick went on to share her story and how she struggled with accepting opportunities.
“I almost talked myself out of what turned out to be the single greatest journalism job in the whole world,” Lithwick said. “This is what I always tell young journalists: own what you have earned, do not let the voice in your head that says ‘someone else can do this better than me’ give away opportunities for you. Just do it, you’ll learn on the job, you’re going to make mistakes, you dust yourself off. Recognize your accomplishments, and do not take yourself out of the game.”
Lithwick’s experience with confidence showcases how critical it is to believe in yourself, as it directly relates to your success and the opportunities you seize. That is echoed by Emily Glass, the first ever woman to scout for Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies, who also shared her view on confidence.
“The biggest hardship and setback I faced had to do with my own insecurity,” Glass said. “That manifested itself as imposter syndrome, or wondering if I could do it, or believing other people didn’t think I could. My biggest advice would be to [not] let the haters get you down. Find your passion, pursue it, and believe in yourself.”
Insecurity, as Glass shows, is one of the biggest roadblocks to confidence in yourself and your abilities. Yet having too much security and complacency, to the point where you do not try new things, can also be difficult to surpass. This was a sentiment that Karine Jean-Pierre, the former White House Press Secretary, mentioned, when being interviewed for Brusky’s MYP project.
“I think the hardest thing you can do is overcome your own security,” Jean-Pierre said. “And a lot of it is putting yourself out there, getting different experiences, doing different jobs. So whenever young people ask me for advice, I always tell them to follow their passions. Talk to people, build relationships, because that’s how you get that confidence to do so.”
Confidence is key–in any career you go into. Because of that, one of the most important things you can do to find success in today’s world is to not sell yourself and your accomplishments short. Whether you want to be an athlete, a rockstar, a businesswoman, or anything in between, believing in your own abilities is critical to your success.
See more of Annabelle’s MYP project on YouTube here.
