There’s a reason people use the word “presence” interchangeably with “charisma.” Just the simple act of being here in this moment, being mindfully present with another human being can be so powerful that people instantly notice it.

For a culture as obsessed with achievement as ours is, you’d think we’d be really good at processing and internalizing our successes along the way.

I’m here to tell you otherwise: We —at least here in the U.S.—are gawd awful at processing our successes. I see it all the time in my work with extremely high achievers—men and women alike. They are at the top of their game professionally, but struggle to stand up in front of an audience and speak their truth from a place of authenticity, energy and conviction.