What is self-confidence? I started out with this topic and after thinking about it for a minute, I was ready to quit. I do have confidence in many areas, but I have never written about this particular subject, which explains my lack of confidence to start. Whenever we do not know how to do something, it usually affects our confidence level in that area. Obviously, there is a first time for everything.
Our experiences grow us in remarkable ways. Think about a time when you accomplished something like walking. It wasn’t long before you started jogging, and then running. Think about all the things we had to learn in school just to get through it, when a portion of it may never be used in our lifetime. That same experience can be drawn upon when facing new challenges in our careers. But if we learned a lot back then, we could do it again at any stage of life. Don’t fall into a limited belief system, thinking you are no longer capable of what you once were. If you do, you will stay in it!
Borrow the belief that others have in you. Guys like to joke about it but when their lady makes a comment about how their man is so strong, but it does something. Confidence soars in the minds of men when their partner believes in them. They respond, “you think carrying all those bags was something, let me show you what else I can do.” It doesn’t have to be partners only that boost confidence though. Family, especially parents, can boost confidence in their children when they believe in them. It works similarly for friends as well. When others believe in us, there is usually something in us that doesn’t want to let them down.
Repeat things until you are good at them. If you are engaged in an activity, the more you do it, the better you should become at it. In cases where we lack natural talent, this may not always be the case. However, to some degree there should be an improvement. I remember when I took a public speaking class in college, I was terribly nervous about standing up in front of all the people. I had done it on occasion throughout high school, but it was so sporadic that I was not able to gain momentum. However, in a public speaking class, every week I had to get up in front of people and talk. That was the whole point of the class. From the start until fifteen weeks later, there was a significant improvement in my confidence level in public speaking.
Rather than abandon this topic, I decided to write it anyway, mostly writing it in one sitting. I was able to use some of the suggestions made in this post. I’ve been writing for a long time and drew upon that experience. Plus, there have been many people that have believed in me, long before I believed in myself. Looking back, I am extremely grateful for their belief in me because it carried me through until I could believe in myself. If you can do the same for someone else, it could make a dramatic difference in their life. Do the thing you desire to have confidence in, and before long, you will discover self-confidence.