Why One CEO Thinks Everyone Should Hear This Career Advice When Starting Out

To make a name for yourself professionally, it's important to get out there and take chances. But when you're first starting out, it's tempting to second-guess your abilities and shy away from opportunities.

Don't.

"Get out of your comfort zone," says Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin, in a recent LinkedIn post. "Don't put constraints on yourself because you want to be perfect. Just get out there."

When beginning her own career, Hewson let little insecurities take a big hold of her life. Negative thoughts such as, "You didn't attend an Ivy League school" and, "You haven't been in the business long enough" kept her from reaching for leadership opportunities and held back her career. "My self-doubt became self-limiting," she recalls.

Eventually, Hewson realized the problem with her mindset: it's impossible to know it all from the get-go. The more you put yourself out there, the more you learn and experience. "Often, the adversities you face are what really forge your character and improve your confidence," she says. "It's the problems you've worked through in the past that will position you for future success."

By the time Hewson became CEO of Lockheed Martin, she'd held 19 leadership roles within the company, which she credits to her current success. "It's that collection of lessons, experiences and relationships that I now draw on every day," she says. "It's what has equipped me to lead, more so than any specific skill or talent."

So for every young professional hoping to further your career, remember Hewson's sage advice: quiet the inner voice that says you're not good enough. Instead, go prove that you are.

Click here to read the original LinkedIn post.

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