If you have been doing project management for a while, your confidence has probably gotten an occasional shaking. And the resulting lack of confidence hurts you, but it also hurts your team members who need you to be confident and not self-conscious. You’re their leader after all, and they want you to have a strong plan, vision, self-esteem and the confidence to lead.

Obsessing over our personal and organisational shortcomings traps us. We may think it is for our own good – to help us truly learn from our past mistakes. But it can spiral downward into embarrassment and shame. And if you find this happening to you, the best advice is to turn it around early. Take the lessons learned with you, but shed the excess baggage of self-doubt. Sounds easy. But there certainly is not a quick fix. I have seen many project managers leave this challenging career path for non-management jobs for this reason. The fix requires having a consecutive series of successful projects to eventually construct a pillar of success.

Often it is an accumulation of shame-inducing situations that results in the loss of confidence. Maybe you have had a series of death-march projects. Set yourself up for success by getting all of these easy things down first, and then you will be in a better place to handle the harder project problems:

Keep your word. It feels good to be considered reliable. So be careful about what you commit to, but then take your commitment (even the really small ones) very seriously. A promise is a promise.

Be on time. Show your self-discipline to yourself and others. It’s a healthy habit that keeps you calm. Start on your way early and break the habit of always trying to squeeze in “one more thing” before leaving. It will be there when you get back and aren’t hurried.

Read more at Project Smart.