The Power of Trusting Yourself

What would happen in your life if you started trusting yourself a little more each day? Could this belief in your ability to set and achieve goals truly make a significant difference? A few weeks ago, I found myself preparing a presentation for NALP's Elevate conference. The topic was, “How to build a 5-year plan.” During this process, a simple but profound question surfaced in my mind and has since become an obsession: What if I trusted myself more?

As I sat in my office reviewing the PowerPoint presentation I would soon deliver, I had everything prepared — the content, the transitions, the detailed instructions. Yet, I felt something was missing. I sensed that there was more to achieving goals than having a well-structured plan; there was a secret ingredient waiting to be discovered and shared. That day, I left the office feeling somewhat defeated, with a nagging concern that I might let down the conference attendees by only providing a fraction of the required information to achieve success.

But then, while working out at the gym that evening, it struck me like a lightning bolt: The secret sauce is trust! Not just any trust, but the profound ability to trust oneself. I began to reflect on how, back in 2015 when I set K&D's Big Hairy Audacious Goal, our 30 by 30 goal, I possessed an unwavering trust in our capacity to achieve it. This trust extended to my own ability to lead our team toward that audacious goal. Strangely, I had no concrete evidence to back up this belief; in fact, I could list numerous reasons why I was ill-suited to be the CEO and to set such ambitious targets. Nevertheless, I had an unwavering faith in myself and our team's potential.

If you were at the Elevate conference and happened to be in the room when I shared my story, you know exactly what I'm talking about. For those who missed it, stay tuned; I'll be sharing the K&D story in greater detail on our new podcast very soon.

Take a moment today to reflect on the concept of trusting yourself. Do you consistently honor your commitments when it's just about you and your life? Do you keep promises to yourself with the same dedication you do for others? It's likely that, like many of us, you find yourself saying "Yes" when it involves others but "No" when it comes to self-commitments.

In my journey, I've realized that by elevating my personal standards and holding myself accountable, I've been able to build confidence, which naturally leads to self-trust. This self-trust, in turn, propels us toward our goals, creating a positive feedback loop of accomplishment and, yes, even more trust.

As we navigate the responsibilities of leading our companies, providing for our families, advancing our careers and shaping our lives, let's keep this simple yet profound concept in mind. Let's push ourselves beyond the confines of limiting beliefs and venture into the realm of self-trust. Who knows? You might achieve something that once seemed entirely out of reach.

The most rewarding investment you can make is in yourself because knowledge is an asset that nobody can take from you. Condense decades into days by learning from those who have taken the same path and faced similar challenges. I encourage you to register for a conference or event in the near future and devise a plan to ignite transformative action in your life.

Before you go, I'd like to share some exciting news: My good friend Maggie Wymore and I have launched a new podcast, "Trades Talk." Our mission is to share inspiring success stories, promote professionalism in our industry and kindle the entrepreneurial spirit in the next generation. You can now catch “Trades Talk” on all major podcast platforms.

Raise the bar is a monthly column by Justin White, CEO of K&D Landscaping, written to help improve professionalism in the green industry. He can be reached at jwhite@giemedia.com.