These are the top three fallacies I see from young aspiring leaders…

1. “I don’t believe I can”

I don’t have the knowledge or the network… I didn’t go to the right school… I’m not experienced enough… I need to get experience first… I must climb the corporate ladder… It’s the only way.

BULLSHIT! There are no rules. The most successful leaders in the world all found the Third Door, and you can too. But it requires a complete shift  in paradigm from the italics above. It feeds off your dedication to finding the exponentials. You may have to risk it all… You will fail… But eventually, if you push hard enough time and time again, stay focused on your north star, and believe in yourself, you’ll find your in.

2. “I have to do it on my own”

If I don’t do it on my own, the person above me will take all the credit. Nobody will help me anyway.

BULLSHIT! We’re in the information age – Mentorship is everywhere… From books and articles to conferences and your peers. Even individuals you view as superior to you will often answer a few of your questions. Even if they won’t make time, there are likely several YouTube videos with them spilling their knowledge.  Sometimes not knowing the answers can even be powerful. While in past generations, many industry leaders cut down each other’s houses in order to build their own, most of today’s leaders are aware the real power is in maintaining great relationships and building together, regardless of status.

Include others in your building process by asking for advice or help, and your success becomes part their story. When they share your gospel, your vision will spread far and wide.

If you’re not getting the credit you deserve, just ask*… Sometimes it can be a simple oversight. In my experience, most leaders want to give credit where it is due, especially if you’ve built a great relationship with them. If others associate your success as somebody else’s, maybe they don’t know your full story and you need to share it.

*As long as this isn’t a client relationship… Then, a) good luck b) you may want to enter the relationship not expecting credit. However, this paradigm is shifting too. I know many acts who do respect and acknowledge their managers every chance they get.

3. “I’m not worthy”

Everybody tells me I’m great, but I know it’s not true… I’ve generated tons of value, but I haven’t done anything yet… I don’t deserve what I am being paid regardless if other people think I do… I’m not and will never be good enough.

BULLSHIT! Even if you say so, it’s not true!!! We all deserve success. Sometimes the only thing more scary then failure is success… And when it gets close, it’s sabotaged by insecurity.

Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud”. It can be a very real thing…

Having a chip on your shoulder can be a good thing… It pushes you to drive harder… But when it’s from a deep rooted fallacy, it can lead to anxiety, depression, and lack of self belief. You are worthy.

This final point is a delicate balance as its reverse can be a fallacy too – “I deserve to make X, even if I haven’t accomplished Y”.

In the millennial era, where many believe they are entitled to the insta-life, there may be an equal (or sometimes more) self-belief one’s value is more than they’re contributing. However, if you’re focused on supercharging your growth, your network and systems will always be strong enough to propel you forward and establish your worth.

I’m not even close to the most successful person in the music industry (not yet, at least)… But the success I have created has been on my own terms… And yours can be too.

As long as you’re following your passion, or even better, what’s already working, you will find a way.

We all get overwhelmed by these fallacies, but the truth is the more you work at your craft, the more confident and comfortable you become.