05/02/2026
I didn’t lose opportunities because I wasn’t capable.
I lost them because I hesitated.
Not dramatically.
Quietly.
Politely.
Here’s how it showed up:
• I waited to be asked instead of asking
• I softened opinions I believed in
• I thought “going first” would be impolite
Nothing went wrong.
Which is why it took so long to see the damage.
People didn’t think I was incompetent, infact they knew I was highly competent.
They just didn’t see me as certain.
And certainty is what gets trusted.
That’s the uncomfortable truth no one says out loud:
You don’t lose credibility in one moment.
You leak it slowly through hesitation.
Not because you’re unsure.
But because you don’t trust yourself fast enough.
This isn’t a personality flaw.
It’s a pattern.
And patterns can be interrupted.
Have you noticed where hesitation has quietly cost you?
Much love,
Deepika xoxo