Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

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Worrying about what other people think of us can be paralyzing. We stop taking chances. We play it safe. And our careers suffer for it.

o One way to fight these anxieties is to develop a personal philosophy, a phrase or sentence that articulates your sense of who you are.

o Think about the following questions: What values drive your actions? Who has qualities that align with yours, and what are they? What makes you feel that you’re performing at your best? How do you want to live your life? Write down your answers, and look for what they have in common.

o Use the words that stand out to you to come up with your personal philosophy. Then commit to living by it.

When something at work starts to lower your confidence, let your philosophy remind you of what’s important to you and why you do what you do. Shut out the noise of others’ opinions and focus on the things that really matter.

Adapted from “How to Stop Worrying About What Other People Think of You,” by Michael Gervais

Here’s a direct link to dozens of other Management Tips.