In Chapter 2 of 13 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, data analytics expert Ken Rona answers "What Factored into Your Decision to Take a Job That Would Relocate Your Family?" As a newly graduated PhD working for McKinsey, Rona loses his job during the dotcom blow up. The experience scars Rona and during the many years that follow, he remains wary of employer job security given his 'at will' employee status. He learns to let go of this insecurity and need to have a backup plan and focus more about making a contribution and committing to a company, town and establish family roots. Rona is currently VP Audience Insights and Ad Sales Partnerships at Turner Broadcasting. Previously, Rona has worked in roles in data analytics at IXI Digital and AOL and management consulting at McKinsey & Co. He earned a BA and MA in Political Science from Stony Brook University and a PhD in Behavioral Economics from Duke University.
Quotes
"There are times when our insecurities can prevent us from taking on new challenges and limits our potential for personal growth"
Robert
"We all have areas where we question our self worth and insecurity. We all have events in our life that hurt, make us angry, or stressed out. But the trick is to learn to focus on our response as opposed to the event."
Tim Clay
"There was always someone bigger and stronger than I was. I always wished I had the gifts and abilities of others."
Ian
"I always feel like they don’t really want to spend time with me, that they are just using me."
Lisa
"I don't even trust myself to make good decisions about people anymore."
Badini
"I just want to stop analyzing myself every time I pass a mirror and studying and comparing every woman I see to myself and be happy with me as I am."
Jennifer
"I wonder how people can be so secure in themselves and wish with all my heart that I could be the same."
Jenny
"No matter how much I tried to make myself and the world around me perfect, I felt that I fell short."
Debesh
"I'm always tryin to be someone im not for the sake of popularity."
Rick
"I live them breath them and can't let them go so that I can live a real life."
Utsey
"I'm even insecure about being optimistic."
Tuva
"I'm even insecure about being optimistic."
Tuva
"I'm even insecure about being optimistic."
Tuva
"My biggest insecurity would be the feeling of not being worth it to anyone. I'm far too easy to walk away from. Far too easy."
Anonymous
"Marriage brings up all the things I pushed to the back burner - the fears, the distrust, the doubts, the insecurities. It's like opening Pandora's box."
Jennifer
"Marriage brings up all the things I pushed to the back burner - the fears, the distrust, the doubts, the insecurities. It's like opening Pandora's box."
Jennifer
"Unfortunately, I am only myself. I am scared and alone and unsure, but I am practicing. I am scared and alone and unsure, but that doesn't mean I always will be."
Lisa
"The problem with human attraction is not knowing if it will be returned."
Becca
"I think my securities far outweigh my insecurities. I am not nearly as afraid of myself and my imagination as I used to be."
Billy
"Insecurities have the ability to shape and mold our minds to live with everything that’s bad; like crying on the inside, while smiling on the outside…thus creating pain…but, alas, I have the answer; forget about what you thought and enjoy (embrace) what y"
Jeremy
"If we all understood that everyone has their own battles to fight, insecurities to face, loves to contend and goals to attain, the world would be a gentler place."
Anonymous
"I love my friends. Flaws, imperfections, weaknesses, insecurities and all. Not going to bring them down for being imperfect."
Anonymous
"It’s taken me time to overcome my own doubts and insecurities. It’s been my nature not to want to believe in my own success and that I don’t deserve my success. But that´s something I´ve fought to overcome."
Keira
"Everyone I have ever known — I take that back — every likable person I have ever known in this world has admitted to periods of sheer insecurity"
Brian Butterworth PhD
"Heightened self-consciousness, apartness, an inability to join in, physical shame and self-loathing—they are not all bad. Those devils have been my angels"
Stephen Fry
"Insecurities can ultimately lead to broken relationships, anger management issues, drug and alcohol use and abuse, isolation and mental health issues"
Dr Frobischer
"To build self confidence and overcome low self esteem is to change how we feel emotionally about ourselves"
Marianne Walsh PhD
"Is there a familiar aroma emanating from your kid's room? Do you shake your head and ignore it thinking, "Hey, I got high when I was a teen and I turned out OK, right?" Well, think again"
Doreen Smith
"Emotions aren’t good or bad per se—it’s the act that you wind up taking that’s either toxic or positive."
Ken
"Most insecurity people aren’t even aware of what they are. The habits are automatic and subconscious."
Tara
"Over the years, I realized there are some habits almost all shy and antisocial people have in common that make other people think sometimes that they’re loners."
Mia
"When I was a child, I was always the quietest one, barely able to control my actions and reactions. Seeing the family videos I was embarrassed to see how much different and insecure I actually was compared to the others."
Max
"I'm quiet, which sometimes gets mistaken for shyness. I'm not nervous with people, I just don't say a lot. I have several friends, mostly male who constantly need to be the centre of attention to feed their ego by their own admission, so yes, there is a d"
Sara
"Get rid of insecurities. Believe in yourself. Know what you want and go out and get it by their own."
Neil
"Chances are that when someone is hating on you, its not about you at all. Its about them. It's their fear, their jealousy, their boredom, and their insecurity."
Mara
"I worry that if I can't be happy with myself, then nobody will ever be happy with me, and that just makes me even more paranoid. The insecurity, low confidence, and diffidence, it's all a cycle and it's destroying me."
Jack
"I'm reserved but not nervous/anxious in social settings. I tend to be good at in depth conversations but rubbish at small talk with people I don't know well! I'd also say I'm quite confident in my looks and abilities."
This video contains some self help tips that may help you ove ...
Tags:Education
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3978 days ago
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Tips & Hints
Self Awareness
Ask yourself what triggers your feeling of insecurity? Whether it is fear of loss, pain, embarrassment or rejection, find out what it i...
Ask yourself what triggers your feeling of insecurity? Whether it is fear of loss, pain, embarrassment or rejection, find out what it is that you are insecure about and consider what new behavioural traits you might develop to make you feel more secure. Think about: what action should I take to develop the new behaviour? How does the new behaviour benefit me?
Laughter is the best medicine for the human condition. When you laugh your mood lightens up and it is said to help improve the immune s...
Laughter is the best medicine for the human condition. When you laugh your mood lightens up and it is said to help improve the immune system too. With the internet, you can find jokes and humour at a click of a mouse button. There are lots of sources out there on the web.
List your fears and conquer them one by one. Feel insecure when you are presenting? Take up a public speaking class. Fear of talking to...
List your fears and conquer them one by one. Feel insecure when you are presenting? Take up a public speaking class. Fear of talking to strangers? Take up a sales job. Keep conquering your fears one by one and suddenly you’ll feel a whole lot more confident in yourself!
Write it down! Use a journal to record the successes you have in life. Record the mini successes you have achieved and refer back to it...
Write it down! Use a journal to record the successes you have in life. Record the mini successes you have achieved and refer back to it regularly in order to boost your self confidence.
Lack of direction in life can lead to insecurity. You’ll wonder what your purpose is in life and lower your self-esteem. By regularly...
Lack of direction in life can lead to insecurity. You’ll wonder what your purpose is in life and lower your self-esteem. By regularly setting goals, you can keep on achieving while lessening the time your mind has to wander. But be sure to take baby steps when setting goals.
There are also support groups for friends and family of people who suffer from mental illnesses and addictions. They can help them find...
There are also support groups for friends and family of people who suffer from mental illnesses and addictions. They can help them find information, fellowship and tools to cope with it.
Positive thinking is the panacea for most of the conundrums of a human brain. Thoughts that are positive in nature have an uplifting st...
Positive thinking is the panacea for most of the conundrums of a human brain. Thoughts that are positive in nature have an uplifting strength and can help you tackle your insecurities to quite an extent. Being insecure equals being judgmental about yourself as well as the others around you.
Don’t fall for such traps and restrict yourself to healthy competition only. Jealousy is the root cause of insecurity, so stop compar...
Don’t fall for such traps and restrict yourself to healthy competition only. Jealousy is the root cause of insecurity, so stop comparing yourself with others. Be proud of what you are and don’t try to measure up to others. It will make you feel much better.
Just remember that no one is perfect and it is difficult to achieve perfection. Don’t overwork yourself in search of excellence. If y...
Just remember that no one is perfect and it is difficult to achieve perfection. Don’t overwork yourself in search of excellence. If you know what your weaknesses are, try to correct them and make it a point not to constantly fret on your drawbacks. Think of your strengths and evolve strategies to convert your weaknesses into your strengths.
Relax and have fun in life. It is necessary to contemplate the reasons behind your fears and insecurities; then take steps to get rid o...
Relax and have fun in life. It is necessary to contemplate the reasons behind your fears and insecurities; then take steps to get rid of them. But the purpose of life is to enjoy every approaching moment and it should not be lost in riddling yourself with your unfounded fears.
You have the resources, the strength, the physical ability and the intelligence to handle any situation that is in your present moment ...
You have the resources, the strength, the physical ability and the intelligence to handle any situation that is in your present moment awareness. Yet we keep trying to solve an imaginary problem which we expect the future to bring in.
If you are feeling insecure about a future situation, it’s very helpful to write down the exact nature of the problem. Just writing i...
If you are feeling insecure about a future situation, it’s very helpful to write down the exact nature of the problem. Just writing it down will help clear up mind.
Just remember these words if you ever feel insecure about a life situation. The most miserable experiences have a time span for which t...
Just remember these words if you ever feel insecure about a life situation. The most miserable experiences have a time span for which they can last, and then they pass.
The mind wants conclusions but life is always open ended. Get comfortable with “not knowing” and most of your insecurities will van...
The mind wants conclusions but life is always open ended. Get comfortable with “not knowing” and most of your insecurities will vanish. Have you noticed that the thing you are most certain about is what lets you down?
While you may think someone is faking insecurity for attention, they may have mental or emotional problems you are not aware of. Try no...
While you may think someone is faking insecurity for attention, they may have mental or emotional problems you are not aware of. Try not to assume that someone is faking insecurity just because you can see no obvious flaws in their life.
Do not get pulled into a relationship that revolves around you trying to improve the self-esteem of someone else. It is very damaging t...
Do not get pulled into a relationship that revolves around you trying to improve the self-esteem of someone else. It is very damaging to you, and will likely not help them - they will realize that as long as they are needy, you will be there. Don't allow them to depend on you 24/7.
If you're embarrassed, laugh at yourself and try to be happy. Getting angry or silently beating yourself for a long while after only de...
If you're embarrassed, laugh at yourself and try to be happy. Getting angry or silently beating yourself for a long while after only destroy your chances of enjoying what you're doing, and will leave you sore about the whole situation from then on. If you laugh, you can move on and keep trying to have fun.
If someone is criticizing you, take a step back and think objectively- "Is what they're saying valid? Have they thought about this from...
If someone is criticizing you, take a step back and think objectively- "Is what they're saying valid? Have they thought about this from a number of different angles? Do they understand my side of things? Are they offering me a solution or just trying to make me feel inferior?"
Pick up a hobby or activity you have interest in and practice as often as possible. It can be something you do by yourself or with a gr...
Pick up a hobby or activity you have interest in and practice as often as possible. It can be something you do by yourself or with a group. Even if you aren't very good at the beginning or don't feel you're a pro after a while, you are giving yourself another trait, and if with a group, building relationships. Regularly playing a sport, hiking, knitting, reading, photography, painting, playing an instrument, collecting insects, learning a language or computer software, or volunteering in your community are all good examples.
Try to help others even if it is 'Simple' in ways - "It gives you a sense of confidence”-. Communicating doing/working things togethe...
Try to help others even if it is 'Simple' in ways - "It gives you a sense of confidence”-. Communicating doing/working things together brings a sense of motivation and joy inside. Make yourself wanted to others as well as yourself.
Tell yourself the truth. You may have to admit that the person who earned the promotion at work performed better than you did. Learn fr...
Tell yourself the truth. You may have to admit that the person who earned the promotion at work performed better than you did. Learn from your mistakes and start doing better. You'll have the next promotion in the bag.
Condition yourself to talk positively about yourself. Every time your mind wanders and say you are not apt at it, pause for a minute, u...
Condition yourself to talk positively about yourself. Every time your mind wanders and say you are not apt at it, pause for a minute, undo those negative vibes and say you can do it. At least you should make an attempt to accomplish that daunting task. With that, you will learn more about yourself.
Do not be afraid to push yourself beyond your physical or mental limits. Such a pressure would help you see how easily things can be ac...
Do not be afraid to push yourself beyond your physical or mental limits. Such a pressure would help you see how easily things can be achieved and thereby helps you hone skills. Step out of your comfort zone.
If you feel like you can’t do something or you aren’t good enough, take a moment to step outside of yourself and assess yourself wi...
If you feel like you can’t do something or you aren’t good enough, take a moment to step outside of yourself and assess yourself with an honest, positive eye.
If you’re unsure about trying something because you’re worried you’ll do it wrong or aren’t good enough, think about it. Most o...
If you’re unsure about trying something because you’re worried you’ll do it wrong or aren’t good enough, think about it. Most of the time, the worst that can happen is you look a bit foolish in front of people who either aren’t watching, don’t care, or have been there themselves so can empathise.
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission. Stop letting them. You’re not a waste of space and have every right to hav...
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission. Stop letting them. You’re not a waste of space and have every right to have your opinion heard or feelings observed as anybody else.
Hang out with people who make you feel good about yourself, not ones who’ll put you down. This is key to building confidence – havi...
Hang out with people who make you feel good about yourself, not ones who’ll put you down. This is key to building confidence – having people you trust supporting you.
Why do you tell yourself you can’t do it? What reasons are there? When you can find the root causes and either eliminate them or come...
Why do you tell yourself you can’t do it? What reasons are there? When you can find the root causes and either eliminate them or come to terms with them, you may find you have no reason to be insecure, which can be a huge confidence boost.
Don’t keep asking what if this happen or what if that happen. You can run your imagination wild if you keep asking yourself what if. ...
Don’t keep asking what if this happen or what if that happen. You can run your imagination wild if you keep asking yourself what if. Tell your self “So What?” There are a lot of things that are actually minor problems until we are guilty of making a mountain out of a mole. Zac Efron can be more handsome then me, so what? The world still revolves.
Remember that everybody is plagued by insecurities, some just choose not to dwell on them
Be one of the people who don't dwell It doesn't mean your anger, frustration and hurt goes away but it does mean you deal with these fe...
Be one of the people who don't dwell It doesn't mean your anger, frustration and hurt goes away but it does mean you deal with these feelings far more constructively and don't let them eat you up and stop you from doing things in life.
If you are agonizing over the past or where you're headed, you are doomed to a lifetime of living somewhere else. Bring yourself back t...
If you are agonizing over the past or where you're headed, you are doomed to a lifetime of living somewhere else. Bring yourself back to the here and now. Be present. Enjoy whatever you're doing, even if it's tedious, mundane, or unpleasant. There is always something worthwhile to be found in your activity to anchor you.
If someone doesn't like you and makes you feel hurt, (which will and does happen 24/7 to everybody), realize it's their problem, not yo...
If someone doesn't like you and makes you feel hurt, (which will and does happen 24/7 to everybody), realize it's their problem, not yours. The "hurt" that you experience is a desired result of theirs, not an automatic reaction to hold. Learn to push aside the daily unkindnesses and replace them with rational thoughts instead of gut feelings. Try it: "It is their issue, not my personality".
Alter what you don't like about yourself instead of dwelling on your faults
Along with changing your perspective, find out what do you want to achieve more of and do it! A person who consistently says they can't...
Along with changing your perspective, find out what do you want to achieve more of and do it! A person who consistently says they can't, can't. Don't get that way in the first place; act now rather than mope all the time.
You must be at peace with yourself before you can be at peace with the world around you, you must love yourself before you can love oth...
You must be at peace with yourself before you can be at peace with the world around you, you must love yourself before you can love others, you must give to yourself before you can give to others. Your insecurities are not minimal; they define how you interact with others, so it is crucial to fix yourself before you fix anything else.