Plenty of people try to conceal their insecurities, especially at work. You may not want your boss to know that you’re terrified of public speaking before leading a big pitch meeting, or to tell your work bestie that you’re worried about making a mistake on the job.
But those feelings of doubt can help you become highly successful, according to Jonny Kim, a 41-year-old from Los Angeles with a lengthy resume: He participated in over 100 combat missions as a U.S. Navy SEAL, then got a medical degree from Harvard Medical School and flew to the International Space Station on April 8 as a NASA astronaut.
Kim spent some of those Navy missions as a combat medic. In that role, he got comfortable knowing he didn’t always have the answers, but it was his job to do all he could to save people’s lives anyway, he said on bestselling author Simon Sinek’s “A Bit of Optimism” podcast, in an episode that aired on August 5.
“I think insecurity is something that we’ve all dealt with and it’s a part of being human,” said Kim. “I think a little tinge of healthy insecurity keeps the humility in check or keeps the ego in check.”
“Being unconfident in my abilities” during that time was a defining moment in his life, Kim added, driving him to pursue his degree in medicine and dedicate the rest of his career to be of service to others.
Help us help you: Take our survey on work, money and life goals
Though insecurity can feel isolating, the average U.S. adult experiences a lack of confidence five times per day, says a February 2023 survey of 2,000 Americans by OnePoll. Real estate millionaire Barbara Corcoran, a longtime judge on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” says she sees the trait as an unexpected workplace strength: It means you care about what you’re doing and want to put your best foot forward, she said at Fiverr’s Bridge the Gap webinar in March 2023.
On the TV show, “I look for a [competitor] who’s mostly insecure, because I know I’ve got myself a winner,” said Corcoran. “They have the ambition. They’re going to work twice as hard, which, I think, is the great upside to feeling like you’re an impostor.”
“The more successful someone is, the more self-doubt they have, because that’s what drives them,” she added. “I’ve never met a secure person who was a stellar star.”
When you catch yourself in a moment of insecurity, you can reply to your own brain with a few helpful phrases, Headspace mindfulness and meditation teacher Dora Kamau told CNBC Make It in February 2023:
I am trusting the timing of my life.I trust in my purpose and in my innate power to be where I am.I am, on purpose.I’m doing the best that I can with what I have.
You can also express your emotions to someone you trust, instead of harboring them in your mind — or, if you’d rather keep them private, write them down on paper, Kamau added. Either way, expressing your emotions helps your thoughts “live outside of your body,” she said — helping you process them without fixating on them.
Want to stand out, grow your network, and get more job opportunities? Sign up for Smarter by CNBC Make It’s new online course, How to Build a Standout Personal Brand: Online, In Person, and At Work. Learn from three expert instructors how to showcase your skills, build a stellar reputation, and create a digital presence that AI can’t replicate. Sign up today with coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off the regular course price of $67 (plus tax). Offer valid July 22, 2025, through September 2, 2025.
Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life, and request to join our exclusive community on LinkedIn to connect with experts and peers.
