In my coaching I often find confidence, or rather the lack of it, is a major factor in preventing my clients from achieving their goals. By confidence I mean the belief in one’s ability to succeed.
Confidence isn’t the same as self-esteem which refers to the general feelings you have about yourself, although obviously they are related. For example, while I think I have a healthy self-esteem, I would never have the confidence to perform open heart surgery!
How can you build confidence? It takes time, but you here are some tips that will help you.
- 1.Be proud of how far you have come.
- Stop undermining yourself. Believe in your intrinsic worth and in your abilities.
- Believe that you can learn to do new things, solve new problems.
- Hear those negative voices, and then decide to ignore them.
- Ask yourself” Can it be done?” And if the answer is yes, then ask” Why not by me?”
- If it is a presentation, practise it. If it is a proposal, polish it. Again and again.
- Get things done. Small steps and small successes build confidence.
- Accept negative feedback and learn from it.
- Stop comparing yourself, and avoid toxic, jealous people.
- Take a few minutes every day to visualize yourself succeeding at one of your goals.
And finally, stand up tall and smile. Looking confident will help you feel confident. “If you’re presenting yourself with confidence, you can pull off pretty much anything” says Katy Perry.