MINDBLOWING FACT? Smart, Ambitious Women Still Hold Themselves Back. Mental Fitness & Business Coach, Liezel van der Westhuizen shares How to Break Free...
You've got the skills. You've put in the hours. Yet, when it's time to speak up in the boardroom and take the lead on a high-stakes project, or whether it's time to negotiate for your worth, something holds you back. Sound familiar? You're not alone. Research shows that 75% of female leaders struggle with self-doubt - even when they're just as qualified, or even more, than their male counterparts. The real eternal challenge? It's not a lack of ability.
Your challenge is the mental roadblocks we've been conditioned to believe. Perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and fear of failure keep too many talented women playing small. I used to too. However, here's the good news: mental fitness is the game-changer that top female leaders are using to rise with confidence, resilience, and impact! So, how do you train your mind for success the way an athlete trains their body? We sat down with mental fitness coach Liezel van der Westhuizen to uncover the strategies that help women ditch self-doubt, take bold action, and step fully into their leadership power.
Q: Liezel, can you share how mental fitness influences leadership, particularly for women?
A: Absolutely. Mental fitness - which encompasses resilience, emotional intelligence, and adaptability - is crucial for effective leadership. You want to be led by someone who is strong, flexible, passionate, experienced, and balanced in every professional aspect. For women, it's especially vital - I've noted this even among my mental fitness coaching clients. Studies have shown that women often face unique challenges in leadership roles, such as self-limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome. In fact, a recent survey revealed that over 50% of women feel slowed down in their professional lives due to these biases. By strengthening mental fitness alongside streamlining professional growth strategies, women can navigate these challenges more effectively - leading with confidence they can back-up, and leading with authenticity.
Q: What are some common limiting beliefs you've observed among female leaders, and how does coaching address them?
A: Many women grapple with the notion that they must perfect every aspect of their work before stepping into leadership roles. This perfectionism, I can tell you from personal experience, can be paralyzing. Coaching helps by providing a safe space to challenge these beliefs - leading to a fostering of self-awareness, and encouraging a growth mindset. By reframing these narratives, women can embrace opportunities without the fear of not being 'ready enough.' Be as audacious as your competitors and peers are, so that if someone is going to cut you off from an opportunity: it's them and not you - because you at least tried!
Q: How does mental fitness coaching specifically benefit women in leadership positions?
A: Think of it as part of that daily wellness regimen you have that keeps you going professionally: You try and incorporate exercise, vitamins, food & hydration, and developing healthy rapports at work in your routine, and so mental fitness is as necessary and easy to include as they are. Mental fitness coaching fundamentally equips women with tools to manage stress, enhance decision-making, and maintain emotional balance. We prioritize this because women often juggle multiple roles - both professionally and personally. Coaching steadily encourages self-reflection, enabling leaders to understand their strengths and areas for development. This heightened self-awareness leads to more effective leadership and improved team dynamics. This is why personality tests are also such a hit when hiring and human resource development is taking place - because if we know how you tick, often we can approach information delivery, management, stress, etc. in a way that's effective for you.
Q: Can you share a success story where mental fitness coaching made a significant impact?
A: Certainly. I worked with a senior executive in the UK who struggled with self-doubt despite her accomplishments. She's an extremely impressive and formidable woman, from an outsider's perspective though. Through my coaching sessions with her, we identified her limiting beliefs and the unfair standards she holds herself to and developed strategies to counteract them. Over time, she cultivated greater self-confidence through an awareness of her work, reputation building, and general personality - leading to more assertive decision-making and a promotion to a higher leadership role. Her journey exemplifies the transformative power of mental fitness coaching, and she still continues to go from strength to strength today!
Q: What advice would you give to women aspiring to leadership roles but facing internal and external barriers?
A: First, acknowledge and challenge your self-limiting beliefs. You are your greatest critic - and in the journey to strength, it can be a daunting but clarifying tool.Seek mentorship and coaching too, to build resilience and gain perspective. Remember too, that leadership is not about perfection but about authenticity and continuous growth. Surround yourself with a supportive network that encourages your ambitions and celebrates your successes.
ABOUT LIEZEL
About Liezel van der WesthuizenLiezel is a Certified Mental Fitness & Business Coach, speaker, television and radio presenter and endurance athlete who helps leaders, sales teams, and founders build unshakable confidence, resilience, and performance under pressure. With a background in media and a global client base, she combines real-world experience with the science-backed Positive Intelligence (PQ) framework to help professionals overcome self-doubt, silence inner saboteurs, and lead with impact. Through her brand, The Giraffe Brand, she empowers clients to stand tall and stand out.
