Many young professionals in the early stages of their careers often channel enormous effort into refining their technical capabilities, perfecting their résumés, and curating the exact credentials they believe will unlock advancement. Yet, according to Shannon Hennessy, those individuals may be overlooking the true foundation upon which enduring success is built. As the Chief Executive Officer of Habit Burger & Grill—a dynamic and fast-growing restaurant chain operating under the vast Yum! Brands portfolio—Hennessy has orchestrated an impressive series of milestones. Among her many accomplishments are a high-profile collaboration with the Los Angeles Dodgers and an ambitious set of large-scale remodels aimed at refreshing the brand’s presence and customer experience. However, despite this consistent professional ascent, she insists that authentic growth did not truly begin until she learned to step out of her own way and relinquish the self-imposed barriers that had subtly hindered her development.
Reflecting on her earlier career, Hennessy candidly acknowledged to Business Insider that her biggest obstacle was often herself. She recalls a pattern of incessant self-questioning—wondering during meetings whether colleagues perceived her as competent enough during her tenure as a McKinsey consultant, or mentally rehearsing the possible pitfalls of significant financial decisions rather than confidently moving forward with them. Her introspection reached a turning point when a trusted mentor delivered a piece of advice that forever reshaped her perspective: “Your confidence lags your competence.” This brief but profound statement illuminated a truth she had long overlooked—that her abilities already exceeded the level of self-assurance she allowed herself to embrace. That realization served as what she describes as a revelatory moment, prompting her to vow that she would never again allow self-doubt to become the ceiling of her potential.
Hennessy’s confidence was not an effortless or instantaneous acquisition; it was a quality cultivated through years of deliberate self-awareness and personal challenge. Now a forty-seven-year-old leader and mother of two, she credits this internal transformation—an evolving blend of confidence and self-trust—as the singular driving force behind her leadership trajectory. In her view, those attributes have proven far more instrumental to her professional success than any technical lesson taught within the lecture halls of the Wharton School of Business or during her pursuit of an MBA at Northwestern University. She often observes that many people, particularly those just beginning their careers, devote extensive energy to logistics: determining which specialized courses to take, which organization will serve as the right stepping-stone, and how to prepare for every interview to perfection. Yet, from her experience, the most decisive factor in long-term success lies elsewhere—in cultivating the ability to feel genuinely good in one’s daily work, to perform with authenticity, and to show up as one’s best, most grounded self.
Today, Hennessy’s approach to leadership is anchored by an intentional, structured daily routine designed to preserve her mental clarity and physical energy. She begins her mornings early, commits to exercising six days each week, and draws a firm line around her weekends, which she dedicates entirely to her family. This equilibrium between discipline and personal restoration allows her to maintain focus and composure in the demanding environment of corporate leadership. She attributes her centered state—and therefore the quality of her professional presence—to these habits that protect her energy and support her capacity to lead decisively and compassionately.
When offering advice to others seeking fulfillment and advancement in their careers, Hennessy consistently returns to one central theme: invest in your own confidence. To her, building self-assurance is not a superficial act of positive thinking, but an ongoing practice of aligning one’s actions, mindset, and environment to sustain peak performance and inner balance. As she succinctly puts it, when individuals make the deliberate effort to nurture the conditions that allow them to feel and perform at their best, everything else—the opportunities, the recognition, and the success—naturally follows in due course.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/habit-burger-ceo-shannon-hennessy-investing-confidence-transformed-career-2025-11
