Building Self-confidence

Do you want to become unstoppable, irresistible, and unafraid in every area of your life? Brian Tracy, the master in understanding and teaching self-enrichment, tells us that if you constantly think thoughts of boldness and courage and self-assertion, you become progressively bolder and more courageous and more self-assertive. In other words, this means that everyone becomes what they think and we are all self-made.

The concept of self-confidence is commonly used as self-assurance in one's personal judgment, ability, and power. Studies have shown that it focuses mainly on one’s strengths rather than their weaknesses. A person's current level of self-confidence can be shown by their behavior, body language, how they speak and what they say. Unfortunately, building self-confidence is not all that easy and most people have very limited to no self-confidence.

The psychologist Abraham Maslow said that the story of the human race is the story of men and women “selling themselves short”. The great majority of the people tend to compare themselves unfavorably with others dwelling mostly on their own weaknesses and limitations. However, a wonderful discovery about self-confidence is that it is a mental quality that can be learned with practice, built up systematically and progressively over time. The following are some of the tips that can be used to build self-confidence:

Eliminate negative thoughts

Be kind to yourself because no one ever got better by beating themselves up. As highlighted by Brian Tracy in his book the Power of Self-Confidence, we are self-made therefore we become what we think. Do not put yourself down! Focus on the great skills and milestones you have reached and think about what you can do instead of saying “I cannot”.

Know your stuff

Being an expert in your subject matter builds self-confidence. Knowledge really is power so use all the chances and opportunities you have to boost your domain expertise. Read up on the latest research and trends to enhance your knowledge. Boosting your skillset helps you to become better at any you do.

Be curious and challenge yourself

Being curious shows that you are ambitious and eager to learn. Try something new that scares you e.g. asking your boss to lead the next client meeting if you have not yet led one. This will help you emerge more confident and empowered than if you stick to what you already know. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and be able to propel yourself forward.

Focus on your successes and celebrate your achievements

It is difficult to build self-confidence if you are bemoaning what you do not do well. Remind yourself of all the successful projects you have done and celebrate them – you deserve it! Acknowledging those successes and rewarding yourself will remind you how great you really are and there is no greater confidence boost than a job well done.

In conclusion, confidence is important not only for success but also for feeling happy and satisfied. Make sure you start building your self-confidence and embrace it to ensure it will not hold you back. Inject some positivity in every aspect of your life and you can fake it until you make it!

Kudzai Derera is the Business Systems Manager at Industrial Psychology Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, a management and human resources consulting firm.

LinkedIn: https://zw.linkedin.com/in/kudzaiderera

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