I’ve learned after writing over 2,000 award submissions: most people have no idea how extraordinary they are.
They come to me with the same disclaimer:
“I don’t think I’ve done enough.”
“I’m not sure I’m worthy of an award.”
“I hate self-promotion.”
Welcome to the club. If I had a dollar for every woman who told me they felt like a fraud when I asked for their achievements, I’d be writing this from a yacht sailing the world instead of my villa in Bali. When I sit down, unpack their story, and lay it out in plain English… boom. They see it and often for the first time…and it's powerful.
Awards aren’t about polishing perfection. They’re about owning your journey, showing the work, and having the guts to say, “This is what I’ve built. This is who I’ve helped. This is why it matters.”
The dirty secret of award submissions
Awards have a bad rep in some circles. Too self-indulgent, or too competitive or a bit try-hard or if you pay to enter then it isn’t valid. I get it. I also know that when done right, they’re not about ego, they’re about evidence. Social proof is the currency of the world we live in. Think about why big businesses advertise when they are already rolling in it. Because people want to see in black and white that they are doing the work. People want to see proof, even if they don’t think they do, that is the way our human brains are designed. We think we make decisions based on logic but we don’t; we make decisions based on emotion. I call these elements of social proof - breadcrumbs. The more you leave online, the more people see you, get to know you and then want to work with you. Awards are just another breadcrumb.
I’ve worked with real estate agents, dermal therapists, accountants, start-up founders, and not-for-profits. Many have gone on to win national and international awards. But it’s not the win that changes them, it’s the process.
Writing an award submission forces you to stop and reflect. It pulls out the facts you’ve buried under deadlines and drama. It asks you to name the results you’ve created, the clients you’ve helped, the impact you’ve had, even when you’ve been too busy surviving to see it. For a lot of people, that reflection is life-changing.
We’ve been taught to downplay
Especially women. We’re told to be modest, to let our work speak for itself or to wait for permission to take up space. When we finally do get brave enough to go for an award, that damn itty bitty shitty committee in our head kicks off with:
“Who do you think you are?”
“This isn’t that impressive.”
“What if they laugh you out of the room?”
After 12 years of doing what I do, I know they won’t. If anything, award judges are begging for honest, well-written stories with substance. They want to understand you. Not your polished elevator pitch or your KPIs in isolation. You. The person behind the purpose. The grit behind the growth. The story behind the stats.
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Awards are a business strategy
You can use awards to feel proud. Let’s talk brass tacks. Awards are visibility, credibility and content. They’re one of the most underused profile-building tools out there. One of the biggest myths about entering awards is you need to have a 6-figure revenue or a revolutionary invention. You need evidence, heart and clear articulation of how you do what you do and why it matters.
When that award logo ends up on your website, in your email signature, and in media stories, it starts opening doors. People notice. Clients convert faster. Partnerships come easier. Suddenly, you’re not just in business, you’re an award-winning leader. That’s a psychological shift, not just a shiny medal or trophy that sits on your shelf.
The bit no one talks about
You might not win. Not the first time or even the second time. No one wins everything they enter. The win isn’t the only goal. The confidence that comes from naming your value is priceless. The ripple effect when your recognised leaders are mind-shifting. The momentum of people starting to really see you is branding.
I’ve had clients come second and get a flood of new leads. I’ve had clients not place at all but finally see their worth. I’ve had clients win and still not feel enough until they read their story in print and think, holy hell, I did that.
You deserve to be seen
Not when it’s perfect or when it’s polished. There’s no such thing as perfect and we are deluding ourselves as we chase this unobtainable goal. You deserve to be seen now. Awards are simply the vehicle. The deeper work is owning your impact and saying it out loud. That’s what I do. That’s what I’ve built my career on. Not telling stories for the sake of it, but telling stories that move the dial.
Here’s your nudge. You’re more ready than you think.
Stop waiting for someone to tap you on the shoulder and tell you you’re worthy of recognition. You already are.
If you’d like to book a time with me to talk about what you can do, when you can do it and how you can do it - awards, that is, I’d love to speak to you. I can create a strategy for you, a timeline of what you can enter, write the entry for you or review one you have written. It starts with a chat.
