You’re in a meeting.

Someone says something that you know isn’t quite right, or maybe you have an idea that could actually make things better.

But then that little voice in your head kicks in.

“Who am I to say something?

They’ve been doing this longer than me.

What if I sound stupid? They probably already thought of that.”

So you stay quiet. You nod along.

And the moment passes.

Sound familiar?

We’ve all been there. And I think we need to talk about it.

We tend to put certain people on a pedestal that we shrink in their presence.

A manager with a fancy title. A colleague who always seems to have the right answer. Someone with more experience, more confidence, more of whatever it is we feel like we’re missing.

And the worst part?

The person on that pedestal?

They’re just a person. They make mistakes. They’ve doubted themselves too.

Your experience. Your perspective. The work you’ve put in.

Your ideas matter.

Your questions matter.

So the next time that voice in your head tries to talk you out of speaking up, remember:

You earned your spot.

You deserve to be heard.

Have you ever stayed quiet in a room when you had something worth saying? Tell me about it in the comments.