Overcoming Self-Sabotage: Niluka Kavanagh on Sharing Success on LinkedIn

In a recent LinkedIn post, Niluka Kavanagh delves into a form of self-sabotage she realized she had been engaging in: hesitating to share her successes for fear of appearing to brag or of diminishing the achievement by sharing it too soon. Kavanagh, who speaks on the future of work and runs an executive and founder network, shared her internal conflict about celebrating milestones.

She highlights the common anxieties that can accompany sharing achievements, noting:

“What if this is just a lucky streak?”
“People are going to think I’m bragging.”
“I should probably space these posts out and wait for the “right time”.”

Kavanagh challenges these thought patterns, arguing that they are counterproductive to building momentum. She points out the logical fallacy in believing that sharing a success prevents future ones.

The Power of Momentum and Visibility

Niluka Kavanagh’s core argument centers on the principle that momentum begets momentum. She posits that actively putting oneself out there, which includes sharing achievements, naturally leads to more opportunities. This contrasts with the self-imposed limitation of withholding successes.

According to Kavanagh, this internal barrier isn’t necessarily a sign of a lack of confidence, even for someone who is generally confident. She states:

“But even being confident doesn’t make you a) immune to having impostor syndrome or b) a fear of judgment.”

Kavanagh suggests that this fear of judgment, particularly the worry of intimidating others, making them feel bad, or triggering jealousy, is a struggle many individuals face, and she specifically suggests it may be more prevalent among women. She contrasts this with others who, in her observation, share every milestone without hesitation, often gaining more visibility despite potentially having less experience or fewer results.

The Deservedness of Sharing Success

A significant part of Niluka Kavanagh’s message is that hard work and sacrifice warrant acknowledgment and celebration. She asserts that individuals who have genuinely achieved something they are proud of should share it, not for external validation, but because their success is worthy of being seen.

Kavanagh commits to actively checking herself when these self-sabotaging thoughts arise. She emphasizes that the concern over another person’s discomfort with one’s success is not an individual’s problem to manage and certainly not a valid reason to hold back from celebrating genuine accomplishments.

“Because the worry that someone else might be uncomfortable with your success is not your problem to manage.”

She concludes her post with an encouragement to share all wins, remain grounded, and celebrate deservedly. Kavanagh’s insights offer a compelling perspective on overcoming internal barriers to self-promotion and embracing the visibility that comes with sharing one’s journey and achievements.