We all are underqualified.
I think most of us are familiar with this meme.
Stop telling yourself you aren’t qualified, not experienced, or not worthy enough. I can say with full confidence that no one is ever completely qualified or experienced. I would even go so far to say that the most experienced person in their respected field is still not completely qualified or experienced. The folks out there that truly feel they are fully qualified and experienced probably do not have the right mindset to adapt and grow.
We talked in the previous blog about being courageous, the ability to face your fears, and stepping outside of your comfort zone. If you want to grow, learn a new skill, and become more qualified, you have to be willing to take that first step. You have to be willing be vulnerable and let those vulnerabilities show. You have to be willing to look awkward. You have to be willing to take a risk knowing that you don’t know everything and won’t know everything. Every so-called expert was once a beginner.
From what I have experienced personally, many of us have been indoctrinated to first look at qualifications and experience before mindset, personality, and fit within an organization. It’s unfortunate because there are many people out there hungry to make a difference but can’t get a foot in the door because of superficial check marks. This is not to say that qualifications and experience should not be something to strive for. This is also not to say that some positions have certain necessary qualifications for a reason. In a lot of fields you need to have the proper education, training, and experience before you can perform a job. I still think it is absolutely necessary to work hard, gain experience, get those check marks, and utilize that experience to further yourself in whatever path you choose.
What I am saying is many people are so afraid to take a risk or chance on something because they feel they don’t have the perceived qualifications. They fear judgment for taking those risks, and often times are looked down upon for not following the status quo. The catch is, most of the success stories you hear involve people who did things they were not qualified to do. I can remember a specific instance not so long ago where I applied for a job that in theory, was two steps above my current experience level. I hadn’t filled that superficial check mark needed to be a proper candidate. I applied anyway and got the opportunity to interview, visit campus, and it came down to me and one other person. I didn’t get the job, but it lifted a veil of self doubt for me. It made me realize that I am a perfectly good candidate for almost any position I apply for because of my passion, drive, and willingness to learn and be adaptable. I was told by some that applying for that job was not a good move. I have since realized that the individuals who told me those things definitely don’t have the growth mindset that I was talking about earlier.
Jonny Kim is the personification of someone who took risks and started doing things he wasn’t qualified to do. He is a Silver Star-awarded Navy SEAL, Harvard-educated doctor, and NASA astronaut, all at the age of 35. These are three career fields that require the most exceptionally qualified people that our country has to offer. He has attained some of the most prestigious and elite roles that people spend a lifetime striving for. Jonny, like all of us, was once a beginner. Each step of his journey he had to be vulnerable, he had to be awkward, and he had to be okay with being a beginner before ever reaching the heights of greatness that he has achieved.
Kim is a first-generation Korean American, born in Los Angeles to parents who immigrated to the United States from South Korea in search of a better future for their children. Despite his accomplishments, he struggled with insecurity growing up and had a hard time with school. So after high school he decided to enlist in the Navy as a seaman. He asked a recruiter if he could become a member of one of the SEAL teams and was promised only that he could give it a shot. That opportunity was all he needed and he made the most of it. He decided to take a risk and put it all on the line knowing that he wasn’t qualified. The rest is history. You can learn about his incredible story below.
