Growing up lower-middle-class and in my opinion unimpressive, I carried the weight of self-doubt throughout my life. The persistent negative self-talk served as a constant companion, a reminder of my humble beginnings. I had teachers and bosses throughout my life who reminded me of this by saying:
“you’re a moron” (3rd Grade Teacher), “you’ll never get it” (7th grade math teacher), “you’ll never amount to anything” (HS Guidance Counselor), {whispered to another employee} “he’s not that smart…” (sales manager at a tile store).
My tenure at Zillow marked a transformative chapter – a crucial juncture in both my career and personal narrative.
Up until that point I worked in sales environments that were easy to stand out on top (despite not being smart). The quotas were low, so was the pay. And being a top performer at these companies gave me a false sense of confidence, which was masking what I knew to be true, I wasn’t shit. Can’t lose if you don’t try, right?
Well I ended up trying and landing at Zillow. Furthermore I saw early success during my ramp up (thanks to my managers Samy and Doug) and tried even harder by going to the very challenging Vertical Living team. Within a few months I very quickly had accumulated two quota misses. it was proved to me what I already knew… Brant… you suck!
The reality that three strikes and you’re out hit me hard, and I realized I was about to let down everyone who believed in me. I was now married, wanted to grow a family, and people at Zillow were rooting for me to win.
Despite the pressure, I made a conscious choice to silence the negative self-talk. This was more than hitting quotas; it was about breaking free from the chains of self-doubt long rooted in my psyche. Who was I to prove myself right, and all these people wrong?
Over the next six years, I rewrote the script. By refusing entry to negative thoughts, I not only met quotas but surpassed them. I got promoted, grew my career.
It was a testament to overcoming self-imposed limitations and proving that one's origin doesn't dictate their destination.
#BreakingSelfDoubt #CareerTransformation #RisingAboveBackground
Head of Capital Markets at Settle
3moCongrats Steph! Super excited for you!