EP. 033 The Consultant's Vulnerability Hangover

Have you ever completed a business task like making a presentation or had a consulting call and afterward you were second-guessing yourself? Did you wish that you’d never revealed something, or that you could go back in time and undo the action that made you question yourself after the fact? 

This is called the “Vulnerability Hangover”. It’s a term coined by Dr. Brené Brown. She defines it as “the gut-wrenching feeling of shame and fear right after we undertake an emotional risk.” 

As consultants, this experience of the Vulnerability Hangover can be viewed as something to avoid. 

I want to offer that this is a good thing. It’s a way for you to grow past your comfort zone. Any time you put yourself out there and you experience this ‘hangover”, it’s a sign that you’ve embraced growth. In fact, I recommend that you purposefully create situations that make you experience the Vulnerability Hangover. 

The key is to plan ahead to (1) intentionally put yourself in situations that could create a hangover, and thus the more rapid growth of yourself as a business owner and (2) to know how you’ll handle it when it does happen, so you don’t allow it to slow you down.

There are a few effective ways to do this. Listen in to learn more. 

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