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The Exceptional Edit/Mindset & Identity/How to Stop Looking for External Validation and Start Trusting Your Inner CEO

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Olevia Rachel

You’ve worked hard.
You’ve kept the team afloat.
You’ve delivered and over-delivered.
You’ve said yes, stayed late, and been “the reliable one” so many times you’ve lost count.

So why does it still feel like you’re waiting to be picked?

Waiting for someone to notice.
Waiting for the gold star.
Waiting for permission to finally own how good you are.

Let’s talk about that.

Because if you’re constantly chasing validation, you’ll always feel like you’re one review away from being “enough.”
And that’s not a career strategy.
That’s quiet self-abandonment.

It’s time to stop outsourcing your worth.

​It’s time to activate your inner CEO.

  • Recognize where you're waiting for permission.

    Are you holding off on applying because your manager hasn’t mentioned promotion? 
    Are you afraid to share your ideas because no one asked? 
    Are you playing it small in meetings because you haven’t “earned your spot yet”? 


    Newsflash: 
    CEOs don’t wait to be invited to lead. 
    They show up as the leader. 
     
    Even if the title’s not there yet. 
    Even if the room isn’t ready. 
    Even if nobody claps. 
     
    You don’t need permission to believe in yourself.
  •  Stop feeding your confidence crumbs. 

    A thank-you email gives you a boost. 
    A missed shoutout ruins your week. 
    A skipped raise makes you question everything.  
     
    That’s not confidence. 
    That’s addiction to applause. 

    Start nourishing your confidence from the inside:
    • List your wins—even if no one else sees them. 
    • Speak your value—even when it’s uncomfortable. 
    • Celebrate your growth—even when it's quiet.


    Clarity > compliments.
    Conviction > consensus.
     
  • Upgrade your self-talk to match your next level. 

    Catch yourself when you’re thinking: 
    - “I hope they like me.” 
    - “I just want to be helpful.” 
    - “I don’t want to come off too strong.” 

    Then ask: 
    *What would my inner CEO say instead?* 
    - “Do *I* like how they operate?” 
    - “My skills are valuable—full stop.” 
    - “Leadership doesn’t apologize for showing up.”

    You’re not too much. 
    You’re just too ready to keep shrinking. 
  • Build your own scoreboard.
     
    External validation will always move the goalposts. 
    • You get praised, but not promoted. 
    • You get recognized, but not compensated. 
    • You get good feedback, but no real opportunity. 
     
    That’s the game they want you to keep playing—because it keeps you quiet.

    Create your own metrics. 
    What does growth look like to you? 
    More boundaries? A stronger voice? A better life outside of work?

    That’s your scoreboard now. Not theirs.
  • Decide you're enough—before the world confirms it. 

    You don’t need a testimonial to trust your instincts. 
    You don’t need a raise to know you’re valuable. 
    You don’t need a LinkedIn badge to walk in your brilliance.

    You already know. 
    You’ve known for a while.

    Now it’s time to act like it. 

So What Do You Do When You’re Carrying More Than Your Share?

A. Define your new voice.

Write down 3 beliefs your inner CEO holds about work, worth, and success.

B. Validate yourself on purpose.

Don’t just “hope” to feel confident.
Build evidence.
Track your impact. Celebrate your effort. Document the moments you showed up bigger than you used to.

Confidence is a skill. Not a side effect.

C. Practice being your own damn hype woman.

Say it out loud:
“I’m proud of how I handled that.”
“That boundary was a win.”
“No one else saw it, but I did—and I crushed it.”

You don’t need to wait for applause to know you’re worth clapping for.

You Weren't Born to Be Picked. You Were Built to Lead.

You don't need more validation.
​You need more belief—in your vision, your value, and your voice.
​The moment you stop waiting for someone else to crown you, you become unstoppable. 
​Because the real authority? It's already yours.

Download the Career Takeover Blueprint to start building your next chapter—one where your worth isn't debated. It's decided.

​
Because your inner CEO us already in the building. Now it's time to hand her the mic.


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Los Angeles, CA 91327