Being confident in a new environment is hard — be patient
You can’t run before you can walk
I’ve recently started a new job. Which is a pretty big thing.
Everything is new. The people. The place. The commute. The work; all new.
Starting something new and shiny is always exciting but it can prove to be a terrific challenge…
But, what you may not realise, the trick to getting ahead in a new environment is not dependent on the things that happen to you but more importantly the mindset with which you approach new things.
I’m not just talking about starting a new job, or a new role.
We start anew all the time and with newness comes uncertainty, and for some, uncertainty can really impact confidence.
But it doesn’t have to…
New environments can be a common thing and so overcoming them is a great way to reaching a more fulfilled and satisfying lifestyle.
There’s actually a psychological theory that explains the anxiety we can experience when in a a new environment.
It’s called cognitive dissonance.
Now, cognitive dissonance can actually be applied to many situations but it’s specifically useful to explain the uncertainty we experience in a new place or situation; like a new job.
Cognitive dissonance is essentially a fancy way of saying, we’re here right now but we want to be ‘there’.
Cognitive dissonance is actually defined as:
In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort (psychological stress) experienced by a person who simultaneously holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values. The occurrence of cognitive dissonance is a consequence of a person performing an action that contradicts personal beliefs, ideals, and values; and also occurs when confronted with new information that contradicts said beliefs, ideals, and values
Does that make sense?
The notion of being new and wanting to be ‘un-new’ creates a cognitive dissonance, which sparks anxiety, nervousness and lack of confidence.
So, how do we beat cognitive dissonance in our new enrionments?
Easy. Lower the bar of expectation.
The way to reach satisfaction in a new environment is too bridge the gap in your cognitive dissonance — to put it simply, stop expecting too much of yourself.
Before you can be confident, you need to be comfortable.
Don’t try and overreach, don’t try and achieve the best possible version of yourself too early, you’ll only fail and feel like you’re underachieving.
Set yourself small and realistic targets each day and build your confidence up.
From there you’ll flourish.
