Staying positive when junior?

[sniffle12]

I'm the youngest, newest, and most junior in my team at work. I don't have any peers in a similar role or position so I'm alone at the bottom. Although I get good feedback and I know everybody started at the bottom, I find it hard to feel positive. I'm constantly surrounded by people doing the jobs I would like to do in a few years and worry that I will never get there. Although I have a few years' work behind me, I'm quite a quiet person and worry that I'm not seen as having the 'oomph' to take on management responsibilities. Has anybody got any reassuring stories of worrying that they weren't management material and making good? How do you stay positive when you're at the bottom?

I could have written your post 10 years ago and now I am a head of department, on the senior management team of a medium sized charity.
I don't think I am at all what people would describe as typical management material but I think the only problem with that is being conscious of it and letting it overwhelm you - i think you have to embrace the fact that you don't necessarily fit the mould and use it to your advantage! I also would say that the more experienced you are, the more oomph it will give you - I am good at my job and this gives me the confidence I need most of the time (I am useless with awkward conversations, disciplinary stuff, but you do what you have to do and you find support for the really tough stuff!)

Thanks that's really helpful and good to know there are 'non-typical' managers out there!