It’s Ideal To Be “The Least” In The Room

Too often, imposter syndrome can keep us from putting our hat in the ring. It is uncomfortable to enter a situation where we feel underprepared or less knowledgeable. We may want to protect ourselves from being “found out” or appearing novice so we opt out. BUT what happens if we opt in? By being open to scenarios we haven’t mastered, we gain exposure on ways to succeed through the models and leaders in the room. Here’s how it may be good—even ideal—to be “the least” in the room.

Surround Yourself With What You Want

Just as iron sharpens iron, we too can sharpen ourselves by surrounding ourselves with people who are more _____ (insert: successful, talented, experienced, motivated, skilled, etc.) at what we hope to be. Not convinced it’s worth the discomfort (yes, change can be scary and it’s hard to accept help)? If you look further, you can see just how frequently this occurs in various settings.

In sports, you play more challenging opponents to step up your game and refine your skills. For business ventures, you want a mentor who is ahead of you or has already been through a similar scenario. For those trying to lead a healthier lifestyle, you might choose meals with friends who opt for nutritious options instead of a mountain of chili cheese fries. In fact researchers, using longitudinal data from a 1-year follow up period, suggest that a single social tie with a thinner or heavier person can influence obesity probability.

When thinking of your next ambitions, consider creating a new network where you are “the least” to maximize benefitting from the company you keep rather than staying comfortably situated. Once we exchange the mindset of feeling less accomplished than those around us, we can more beneficially see the plethora of resources available to achieve our ambitions.