Over the last 10 years, I have worked with so many diverse professionals whose goal is to win on LinkedIn.
Often, they are looking for that quick fix, magic pill, or super hack that will get them there in the speed of a bullet even if I say, slow and steady mixed in with a little optimism, wins the LinkedIn race every time!
LinkedIn has gone from being an optional place to be to being the place to be. In fact, LinkedIn is more relevant than ever. Where else can you find an unlimited supply of global connections, job opportunities, and ways for people to tell their professional story.
But, there is one thing holding so many professionals back form achieving true success, and that would be their mindset. Unfortunately, there are so many LinkedIn myths and limiting beliefs that people say to themselves on an ongoing basis:
- LinkedIn is only for people who are looking for a job
- LinkedIn is just an online resume
- I don’t need to be on LinkedIn
- LinkedIn takes too much time
- LinkedIn is all about “my job”
- Only recognized “influencers” get attention
- I can’t compete
- I don’t have a great story to tell
- I will be judged
- People will read into things that are not true
It is impossible to achieve LinkedIn Success without a positive mindset. What professionals think and believe will directly influence what they do and how they react to the precious LinkedIn real-estate available to anyone who wants to own space in it.
What if I said, that a simple change in mindset, is key to letting go of what you don’t need to be thinking about so you can focus more on what you should be thinking about, and saying to yourself, in reference to LinkedIn:
- LinkedIn is a global networking tool
- LinkedIn is a holistic representation of me
- I now have another place to network that is effective, efficient, and abundant
- A LinkedIn strategy will save me time
- LinkedIn is a way to showcase me as the professional I am
- I have a unique value proposition that people will want to know about
- Competition drives me to level up my performance
- I have an amazing story that will help others
- What people think of me is none of my business
- I am pretty awesome #thetruth
Mindset is a powerful thing. To see the “glass half full” is to view LinkedIn with positivity, optimism, and hope. There are so many silver linings on LinkedIn and LinkedIn Optimists, verses a LinkedIn Pessimists, will definitely align themselves better for success. LinkedIn Optimists will not wait and wish for luck; instead, they will understand that instant success is what fairy tales are made of and LinkedIn will require hard work, dedication, effort, consistency, and forward thinking.
For people who are predisposed, to always seeing the cup half empty and seeing the negative side of things first, will find it tough to embrace LinkedIn for what it truly is as well as the online power it can give to each and every one of us.
There is some good news though for LinkedIn pessimists. Optimism, and seeing the LinkedIn glass half full, can be learned with some practice. There is always a way to go from negative to positive thinking when it comes to LinkedIn. In fact, with a little mindset work, it is even possible to take LinkedIn’s lemons and make LinkedInade!