There are four demons — people-pleasing, pursuing perfection, fear of failure, and peer pressure — all of which are prevalent among successful professionals stepping into new roles with added responsibilities. Here are the strategies we could use to defeat them:

People-pleasing

The weight of the new responsibilities coupled with the need to submit to everyone’s expectations in your new role could make you overwhelmed. Make a should-versus-want list as this will help clarify your own mandates rather than bending to the will of others’ motivations or shoulds. 

Pursuing perfection

Achieving your goals takes time and mistakes are bound to happen in that journey. Having a ‘perfect’ vision could set unrealistic expectations for what’s possible and what isn’t.

Feeling unsafe

New rules and expectations, an unpredictable future, and unclear goals, can all jar our sense of safety.

Peer pressure

Harboring fear of judgment from your peers that arise from various needs such as wanting to be liked by others, never being wrong, or wanting to be seen as the smartest person in the room, can be detrimental in the long term.