Let’s face it. It’s easy to feel worthless. Like an fraud. Like our life lacks meaning and purpose. It can be hard to see or unique value when there are so many in the world doing what we want to do, or living their best lives on social media — or so it would seem.
Your professional background may not be where you want it to be, but there are PLENTY of people who don’t have it figured out even well into their 50’s. You have time.
The good news here, is no matter what your birth certificate says, you are still young. No human is ever done, or has it all figured out. We are always in the learning and discovery process, and as long as you are living and breathing, there’s more to discover about yourself and the value you have to offer.
So if you are struggling with feeling worthless professionally, I’d take these steps to get started:
- Get clear on your identity. Learn more about who you are. You can take free online assessments for that. Also, ask yourself: What drives me? What types of things do I like to do? If you don’t know that, then start on a more basic level. What are your interests? Do you like physical or mental/ work? What types of discussions do you like to have? What do you do in your free time? What articles, books, movies, or pages do you find yourself checking out the most?
- Once you learn more about yourself, begin taking a look at your beliefs. Our beliefs create our thoughts, which create our actions, which create our results. If you have negative beliefs about yourself or your abilities and what you have to offer, that would be the next thing to look into. Then begin to build daily habits to build your self-esteem back up.
- Take stock in your accomplishments and skills. Make a list of all the things you’ve ever done. All the skillsets you have acquired over the years. What can you do that others may not be able to? What life experiences have you had that you can leverage into a skill? Use what you have. Sometimes we may overlook these things as trivial, but it’s a really great way to see your value. You may even be able to speak to them in job interviews. When you own your skills with confidence, others will see that and naturally respect you.
There are tons of great books to begin changing the way you view yourself, build better habits, and your approach to work. Here are a few I’d recommend:
You Can Heal Your Life – Louise Hay
Atomic Habits – James Clear
Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles That Fuel Success and Performance at Work – Shawn Achor
Finally, if you want help identifying your unique passions and purpose in life, click below to get free access to my cheat sheet to help you find your purpose here:
