The Art of Transformation

Understanding the Roots of Confidence There is a moment in every journey where the outcome hinges not on talent, not on resources, not even on grit, but on confidence. Confidence is the ability to trust in your own judgment, capabilities, and worth even in the face of uncertainty. Confidence is not arrogance, and it is not the absence of fear. It is the quiet, steady belief that you can figure it out. Without it, every setback feels like a stop sign. With it, every failure becomes fuel. I did not always have that kind of belief in myself. Early in my career, confidence was not something I carried, it was something I chased. I can still remember how it felt to walk into those flashy political events in Washington, D.C. Rooms filled with sharp suits, polished smiles, and conversations that moved policy and power. I should have felt proud to be there. I was young and earning my seat at the table. But instead, all I felt was exposed. I would stand there with a drink in my hand, pretending to be at ease, while inside my mind raced and my anxiety soared. I was not thinking about networking or strategy. I was thinking about how much I was sweating. My shirt would cling to my back, my palms would get clammy, and I would quietly hope no one would notice. But they did. People would often ask if I were okay. It got so bad sometimes that I literally felt as if I were going to pass out right there and then. It was not just the obvious drench on my face, but the paleness that would come over my face. But it was not just about the sweating, it was about what it represented: a deep, gnawing belief that I did not belong. I thought everyone in the room was smarter than me. More connected. More confident. I looked around and saw people who seemed born for this world, while I felt like I had wandered in by mistake. That lack of confidence shaped the way I carried myself. I held back. I questioned my worth. I tried to mimic the language and posture of others, thinking that if I looked the part long enough, maybe I would finally feel it. But here is what I learned: confidence does not come from pretending. Confidence comes from proving. And proving comes from showing up, even when you are scared. Especially when you are scared. Over time, I stopped trying to be someone else in those rooms and started focusing on who I actually was and what I brought to the table. I was not the loudest voice, but I was thoughtful. I asked the right questions. I listened when others talked. And I cared deeply about the work I was doing and the people it impacted. That mattered more than I knew, and so I learned from anyone who would teach me how to be. I also began collecting small wins. Not the headline-grabbing kind, but the private ones: the conversation where I held my own, the presentation where I did not crumble, the moment I looked someone in the eye and felt no need to prove myself. Those moments built something real. They built me. Looking back now, I do not sweat the same way in those rooms, and not because the stakes are lower, but because I finally believe I deserve to be there. Not because I am perfect, but because I know what it took to stand there without flinching. Experience has become my cloak of confidence, and today I have earned that. Years later I would fly down to D.C. on the corporate jet to negotiate partnership and testify in front of members of Congress. I would find myself walking the same halls and rooms where I was a young, inexperienced and insecure kid. This time the confidence and my work drove the negotiations; aligning with legislators or their Chiefs of Staff on community projects that I was leading for a Fortune 4 company. The transformation was real. Confidence is not loud. It is not arrogant. It is the quiet strength that comes from having walked through self-doubt and come out the other side. I still have moments of insecurity. We all do, but I no longer let insecurity control or define me. And if you are in that place where you are sweating silently, doubting your worth, then let this be a reminder: You do not have to be the smartest person in the room. You just have to be real, be prepared, and be willing to grow. Confidence will meet you there. There was another time early in my executive career when I was handed a massive responsibility; one that came without a roadmap, and frankly, without much support. I had just been promoted four grade levels (from a grade 108 to a grade 111), a rare thing. I stepped into a leadership role overseeing culture and workforce strategy for an acquired and large healthcare segment of our business. It was a high stakes position, one with executive visibility and broad implications across the organization. The truth? I did not understand the business and I was scared. I was skilled, yes. Experienced, yes. But confident? Not even close. I spent those first few months second guessing every decision, reading every reaction in the room like a threat, and constantly wondering if I had fooled everyone into thinking I was ready. And yet I kept showing up. I was executing at all levels and putting into action a unique trait that I started to discover about myself, which was the ability to take bits and pieces of projects and personalities across a decentralized organization and bring them together to form major initiatives, and that is how I started to win credibility. I did not know how I was doing it, but I tracked my every move to better understand what I was doing.