“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” — Michael Jordan
Confidence is a skill you can build.
Self-confidence is about how you feel about your abilities.
Confidence is one of those crucial keys to bringing out your best.
The Confidence Mind is a Powerful One
It’s also a key to having the courage to be who you uniquely are.
The confident mind is a powerful one. Whether it’s sharing your thoughts, acting on your ideas, or being bold enough to be yourself, confidence can serve you in multiple ways.
Even humor and style flow better with confidence.
Confidence is Like a Muscle
If you think of confidence as a muscle, then pay attention to all the chances you get to flex it throughout your day. It even starts with how you get out of bed. If you don’t think of yourself as confident, then act “as if” and gradually you’ll find your groove.
Keep in mind that while competence breeds competence, confidence comes first – you have to believe to achieve. Above all, don’t anchor your confidence on external people or things. Flow it from the inside out, starting with your own belief in you.
In the book, Managing Your Mind : The Mental Fitness Guide, Gillian Butler, Ph.D., and Tony Hope, M.D., write about six ways to improve your confidence.
6 Simple Strategies for Building Self-Confidence
You can use these strategies to help build up, tune, and improve your self-confidence.
- “Practice”
- “Behave as if you are more confident than you are.”
- “Be flexible in your behavior.”
- “Learn from your mistakes. The only way to avoid mistakes is to become stagnant.”
- “Silence the voice of self-blame, and speak encouragingly to yourself.”
- “Be kind to yourself.”
Bring Out Your Best
Don’t be your own worst critic. Be your own best coach. Learn from your mistakes, but encourage yourself to new heights.
“Apply the ‘water-under-the-bridge’ rule, and operate a statute of limitations. Kicking yourself for past inadequacies, confusions, or failures gives fuel to your internal wavering voice — cut off its supply of oxygen and use an encouraging voice instead. Imagine you had a champion whose job it was to bring the best in you. What encouraging things would this person be whispering in your ear? Amplify those messages, so you can hear them loud and clear.”
Each time you fall down, be the first to pick yourself up. Confidence is a habit you can grow. The seeds are the thoughts and beliefs that empower you to take action.