How to Know if You’re Overvaluing or Undervaluing Yourself Professionally

If you want to grow in your career, you need to know your value and be honest about how you’re showing up.

Too many high-potential people shrink themselves because of self-doubt. They stay quiet, play small, and miss opportunities they’ve earned. On the flip side? Overconfident performers who stop listening, stop learning, and stall out fast.

Owning your presence at work starts with one thing: accurate self-awareness. That’s what determines whether you speak up, take feedback like a pro, and advocate when it counts.

So…where do you stand?

Here’s how to spot the red flags of both underconfidence and entitlement.

Undervaluing yourself? Here are the signs

• When you have something to say in a meeting, do you hesitate to speak up?
• Do you say yes to things because you worry you will face negative consequences if you say no?
• Do you pepper your language with softening words and phrases like “just,” “a little,” or “a bit”?
• Do you struggle to advocate for yourself? How about negotiating for a raise?
• In times when you see a need that you can fill, do you take the initiative, or do you seek others’ permission?
• If you answered yes to these questions, then you should focus on building your own self-trust and self-esteem. You offer more to your organization than you realize.

Overvaluing yourself?

• Do you think that you deserve a higher salary, more benefits, or better development opportunities than your coworkers?
• When considering the value you bring to your organization, do you point toward your job title?
• When others give you negative feedback, do you think they just fail to understand?
• Are you coasting rather than growing?
•  If you answered yes to these questions, then it’s probably time to start focusing on boosting the value you offer your organization.

Strike the right balance

Still not sure? Ask your trusted peers, mentors, and coworkers to give you their frank assessment.

The goal is to strike the right balance between self-confidence and humility. This can only be done by cultivating self-awareness and the willingness to grow. In short, own your voice, but don’t drown out others.

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