Discuss some reasons why individuals might not accurately assess their own skills or potential.

Summary: Understanding Why We Sell Ourselves Short Ever notice how some of the most capable people you know still seem to second-guess themselves? This article digs into the psychology and real-world scenarios behind why folks often underestimate their own abilities. You’ll see concrete examples, get a look at verified research, and even get a taste of how “verified trade” standards differ internationally—because, yes, even countries can misjudge themselves (or each other). I’ll throw in some personal experience, expert takes, and practical steps, all with as little jargon as possible. Getting to the Heart of the Problem Let’s cut straight to it: underestimating oneself isn’t just about being humble or modest. It can mess up careers, relationships, and—on a much bigger scale—how organizations or even countries do business. You’ve probably heard the phrase “impostor syndrome” thrown around, but there’s a lot more at play. I’ve seen it firsthand in teams I’ve worked with, where the quietest person in the room turns out to have the best solution, only to keep it to themselves. Why does this happen? I. The Hidden Mechanics: Why We Undervalue Ourselves Let’s break it down with a few real-world angles: Comparing to Others—And Always Losing Social media makes it painfully easy to see only the best parts of everyone else’s life. Research from the American Psychological Association shows that constant comparison triggers self-doubt, and it’s nearly impossible to win when you compare your behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel. The Impostor Phenomenon According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, up to 70% of people experience impostor feelings at some point. Even high achievers feel they’re “faking it.” Memory Biases Turns out, our brains are wired to focus more on past failures than successes. I can’t count how many times I’ve coached someone who remembers every mistake but completely glosses over their wins. Cultural Conditioning In some cultures, self-promotion is frowned upon. You learn to play down your skills to fit in, which can turn into a lifelong habit. Feedback Loops at Work In environments where feedback is rare or mostly negative, people start to assume they’re not doing well, even when the reality is different. I once worked at a tech firm where you only got called into meetings for problems, never for successes—after a year, everyone thought they were underperforming. II. A Practical Example: The “Verified Trade” Analogy This might sound odd, but the way individuals underestimate themselves is a bit like how countries clash on trade certifications. Imagine Country A and Country B. Both export electronics, but their “verified trade” standards for product quality differ. Country A’s law is based on the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, enforced by its National Standards Authority. Country B, meanwhile, follows its own stricter national law, with oversight by its Ministry of Commerce. Now, when A’s companies try exporting to B, there’s confusion: Is A’s certification really “good enough?” Here’s a quick comparison table: Country Legal Basis Executing Agency Certification Name Country A WTO TBT Agreement National Standards Authority Conformity Certificate A Country B National Quality Law 2017 Ministry of Commerce Quality Mark B Sources: WTO TBT Agreement, WCO Compendium So, countries—like individuals—often distrust external validation, even if it’s legitimate. I once sat in on a trade negotiation where an exporter from A was grilled for hours over paperwork, even though their certificates met international standards. By the end, both sides were frustrated, and the deal stalled over “uncertainty.” Sound familiar? III. What Does This Look Like In Real Life? Quick story: I was coaching a group of grad students prepping for an international pitch competition. We did a mock Q&A, and one student—let’s call her Tina—froze when asked a technical question. Afterwards, she said, “I’m just not as smart as the others.” But when we reviewed her earlier answers, she’d nailed every tough problem, sometimes with better detail than her teammates. She’d filtered out her successes, fixated on one stumble, and convinced herself she didn’t belong. And, honestly, I’ve been there too. Early in my consulting days, I’d second-guess every recommendation I gave, even though clients kept coming back. It took years—and a few stumbles—to realize that self-doubt was warping my view, not actual performance. IV. Insights from the Experts I reached out to a friend working at the OECD on skills assessment. She shared that, in their PIAAC adult skills survey, a sizeable chunk of highly skilled adults rate themselves lower than their test results show. She said, “It’s not just humility. Sometimes it’s just that people don’t get clear, positive feedback about what they’re good at.” In the U.S., the APA Monitor has published several pieces on how social context, gender, and minority status all feed into inaccurate self-assessment. (If you want to nerd out, check the November 2019 cover story.) V. If You Want to Get Practical: Here’s What Helped Me Here’s a screenshot from my old “Wins” folder—I started keeping it after a mentor’s suggestion. Every time I got positive feedback or solved a tricky problem, I’d drop a note or screenshot in there. On tough days, I’d scroll back through it. Sounds cheesy, but it works. Another tip: Ask for specific feedback. Instead of “How did I do?” try “Was there anything in my analysis that surprised you?” It can help break the cycle of only hearing negatives. Conclusion: So What’s the Real Fix? In the end, underestimating yourself is a messy mix of personal psychology, social feedback, and sometimes just bad luck. Even countries, with all their legal frameworks and agencies, can get it wrong—so don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t always see your own strengths clearly. If you catch yourself doubting your skills, try the “Wins” folder trick, or even just jot down three things you did well each week. And if you’re in a leadership role, make sure to give real, actionable feedback—not just when things go wrong. Everyone, from individuals to governments, needs reminders that their efforts matter. For more on “verified trade” differences, check out the WTO’s official docs or the OECD’s skills research. And if you’ve got your own story, I’d genuinely love to hear it—sometimes, just sharing makes it all a little less daunting.

Astrid's answer to: Why do people often underestimate their own abilities?

Summary: Understanding Why We Sell Ourselves Short

Ever notice how some of the most capable people you know still seem to second-guess themselves? This article digs into the psychology and real-world scenarios behind why folks often underestimate their own abilities. You’ll see concrete examples, get a look at verified research, and even get a taste of how “verified trade” standards differ internationally—because, yes, even countries can misjudge themselves (or each other). I’ll throw in some personal experience, expert takes, and practical steps, all with as little jargon as possible.

Getting to the Heart of the Problem

Let’s cut straight to it: underestimating oneself isn’t just about being humble or modest. It can mess up careers, relationships, and—on a much bigger scale—how organizations or even countries do business. You’ve probably heard the phrase “impostor syndrome” thrown around, but there’s a lot more at play. I’ve seen it firsthand in teams I’ve worked with, where the quietest person in the room turns out to have the best solution, only to keep it to themselves. Why does this happen?

I. The Hidden Mechanics: Why We Undervalue Ourselves

Let’s break it down with a few real-world angles:

Comparing to Others—And Always Losing
Social media makes it painfully easy to see only the best parts of everyone else’s life. Research from the American Psychological Association shows that constant comparison triggers self-doubt, and it’s nearly impossible to win when you compare your behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel.
The Impostor Phenomenon
According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, up to 70% of people experience impostor feelings at some point. Even high achievers feel they’re “faking it.”
Memory Biases
Turns out, our brains are wired to focus more on past failures than successes. I can’t count how many times I’ve coached someone who remembers every mistake but completely glosses over their wins.
Cultural Conditioning
In some cultures, self-promotion is frowned upon. You learn to play down your skills to fit in, which can turn into a lifelong habit.
Feedback Loops at Work
In environments where feedback is rare or mostly negative, people start to assume they’re not doing well, even when the reality is different. I once worked at a tech firm where you only got called into meetings for problems, never for successes—after a year, everyone thought they were underperforming.

II. A Practical Example: The “Verified Trade” Analogy

This might sound odd, but the way individuals underestimate themselves is a bit like how countries clash on trade certifications.

Imagine Country A and Country B. Both export electronics, but their “verified trade” standards for product quality differ. Country A’s law is based on the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, enforced by its National Standards Authority. Country B, meanwhile, follows its own stricter national law, with oversight by its Ministry of Commerce. Now, when A’s companies try exporting to B, there’s confusion: Is A’s certification really “good enough?”

Here’s a quick comparison table:

Country	Legal Basis	Executing Agency	Certification Name
Country A	WTO TBT Agreement	National Standards Authority	Conformity Certificate A
Country B	National Quality Law 2017	Ministry of Commerce	Quality Mark B

Sources: WTO TBT Agreement, WCO Compendium

So, countries—like individuals—often distrust external validation, even if it’s legitimate. I once sat in on a trade negotiation where an exporter from A was grilled for hours over paperwork, even though their certificates met international standards. By the end, both sides were frustrated, and the deal stalled over “uncertainty.” Sound familiar?

III. What Does This Look Like In Real Life?

Quick story: I was coaching a group of grad students prepping for an international pitch competition. We did a mock Q&A, and one student—let’s call her Tina—froze when asked a technical question. Afterwards, she said, “I’m just not as smart as the others.” But when we reviewed her earlier answers, she’d nailed every tough problem, sometimes with better detail than her teammates. She’d filtered out her successes, fixated on one stumble, and convinced herself she didn’t belong.

And, honestly, I’ve been there too. Early in my consulting days, I’d second-guess every recommendation I gave, even though clients kept coming back. It took years—and a few stumbles—to realize that self-doubt was warping my view, not actual performance.

IV. Insights from the Experts

I reached out to a friend working at the OECD on skills assessment. She shared that, in their PIAAC adult skills survey, a sizeable chunk of highly skilled adults rate themselves lower than their test results show. She said, “It’s not just humility. Sometimes it’s just that people don’t get clear, positive feedback about what they’re good at.”

In the U.S., the APA Monitor has published several pieces on how social context, gender, and minority status all feed into inaccurate self-assessment. (If you want to nerd out, check the November 2019 cover story.)

V. If You Want to Get Practical: Here’s What Helped Me

Here’s a screenshot from my old “Wins” folder—I started keeping it after a mentor’s suggestion. Every time I got positive feedback or solved a tricky problem, I’d drop a note or screenshot in there. On tough days, I’d scroll back through it. Sounds cheesy, but it works.

Sample screenshot of a 'Wins' folder containing positive feedback emails and screenshots

Another tip: Ask for specific feedback. Instead of “How did I do?” try “Was there anything in my analysis that surprised you?” It can help break the cycle of only hearing negatives.

Conclusion: So What’s the Real Fix?

In the end, underestimating yourself is a messy mix of personal psychology, social feedback, and sometimes just bad luck. Even countries, with all their legal frameworks and agencies, can get it wrong—so don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t always see your own strengths clearly.

If you catch yourself doubting your skills, try the “Wins” folder trick, or even just jot down three things you did well each week. And if you’re in a leadership role, make sure to give real, actionable feedback—not just when things go wrong. Everyone, from individuals to governments, needs reminders that their efforts matter.

For more on “verified trade” differences, check out the WTO’s official docs or the OECD’s skills research. And if you’ve got your own story, I’d genuinely love to hear it—sometimes, just sharing makes it all a little less daunting.