Imposter Syndrome - Finding a Role Model

Plato's statement about the ideal citizen being a scholar athlete resonates with me. I've always sought a role model who embodies this balance of thought and action, embodying both physical prowess and intellectual depth. 

An influential figure for me has been Admiral William McCraven, who delivered an impactful commencement address at the University of Texas in 2014. His credibility was palpable as he shared his life story, including his childhood fascination with Superman. When he learned that superheroes were fictional, he decided to become one himself - not by flying around Metropolis but through leadership.

This reminds me of George Bernard Shaw’s idea: life is not about finding yourself; it's about creating yourself. McCraven exemplifies this by being a scholar athlete; someone who leads physically and intellectually.

Many young people today struggle with anxiety, depression or feelings of worthlessness. They often feel swayed by external influences rather than their own beliefs or ideas – something Tom Shea discusses in his book "Unbreakable" as internal dialogue.

We need to learn self-efficacy - standing on our own two feet and proving we can do hard things - because accomplishing these tasks helps build self-esteem. It’s crucial that we don't let others' opinions derail us from our path.

A successful business person like Ron Johnson highlights this principle too. As a Harvard Business School graduate and former CEO of JCPenney, Johnson represents another example of how personal belief shapes success.

 Harvard Business School, a rigorous two-year program with 900 case studies for each class of about 85 students, taught him the value of trusting his own judgment. Despite differing opinions, he learned to listen to others' views before confidently making decisions. This lesson has proven invaluable in his business career.

Many so-called 'experts' are just people who believe they're experts. He's seen managers and CEOs project confidence even when their knowledge was doubted by educated subordinates. Yet, due to their authoritative demeanor, people tend to follow them blindly.

He encourages everyone to trust in their abilities and carve out their path while being aware of whose influence is guiding them. It's essential not only to know what thought process you're following but also why you've chosen it.

Successful individuals like Apple or Nike's founders often create a reality distortion field around themselves - their strong commitment makes others conform to their ideas. But one must be cautious and mindful of this power.

A study conducted over 20 years by Vinod Khosla from Berkeley tracked the forecasts made by 250 experts (28k predictions). The findings? Their accuracy was comparable to monkeys guessing randomly! 

It emphasizes that we should question our internal dialogue regularly: What thoughts dominate your mind? Who influences these thoughts? Instead of relying on external validation or expertise, take control and make your own informed choices based on self-learning.

 The speaker reflects on his time at Harvard Business School, where he studied intensively for two years alongside 80-90 peers. They were tasked with analyzing and solving 900 case studies. The key takeaway from this experience was learning to trust his own judgment after considering others' perspectives.

In the business world, he observed that perceived expertise often trumps actual knowledge. He recalls a charismatic leader who impressed despite lack of understanding, illustrating how authority can sway people's opinions. 

He advises listeners to believe in their abilities and chart their own path while being mindful of influences shaping their thoughts and decisions. This self-efficacy is common among successful individuals like Apple’s or Nike’s founders whose strong commitment influenced reality around them.

He cites an interesting study by Professor Vinod Khosla from Cal Berkeley who tracked expert predictions over twenty years. The results showed experts were no more accurate than monkeys guessing - a cautionary note about relying too heavily on so-called experts.

Finally, he encourages taking control of one's life through making personal decisions and questioning internal dialogues regularly: why certain things are said or believed? Who is influencing these beliefs? It's crucial to learn independently instead of waiting for knowledge handouts because engagement in one's learning journey fosters self-esteem.