Confidence.
It’s an elusive trait.
It’s something we can’t get enough of, yet for so many people authentic confidence is hard to achieve and even harder to sustain.
The truth is confidence doesn’t just happen. It doesn’t just arrive from the clear blue sky. You don’t wake up one morning and say to yourself, “Hey, I feel 100% confident!”
Nope. Never going to happen.
Confidence is something you cultivate with careful precision. It’s something you consciously invite into your life. Something you must nurture within yourself so it continues to strengthen and grow.
Cultivating confidence may seem like hard work but it’s worth the trouble.
When you come from a place of authentic confidence, those around you can feel your conviction and your commitment.
When this happens, people will respond to you in a positive way. Amazing opportunities will turn up in your life.
You’ll feel resilient. Strong. Certain.
You’ll believe in yourself and your ability to handle any kind of obstacle or challenge that happens to come your way.
This is definitely worth going after.
Here are 3 of my favorite confidence-boosting practices to kickstart your journey to unshakeable, unbreakable authentic confidence.
Keep a Greatest Hits List
Your “Greatest Hits” list is quite simply a list of your wins.
These are all of the things you’ve worked hard for.
Your accomplishments. Your achievements.
Things you can look back on and say with satisfaction and pride, “Yes, I did that!”
Your list should also include words of praise from co-workers, peers, bosses, and clients.
Think of your Greatest Hits list as a “living list” that continues to grow. Every time someone says, “great job” add it to the list.
Every time you achieve a goal, add it to the list.
Every time you tackle a difficult project – like writing a book – and reach the finish line, add it to the list.
When you continue to do this, you’ll start to realize something remarkable…
You’re an amazing, accomplished human being. You’ve overcome incredible odds to achieve goals across all areas of your life.
The Greatest Hits list is one of the most powerful “confidence builders” out there.
So, don’t wait. Start your list today.
Look Your Best
The world will tell you that looks don’t count. It’s what’s inside that matters.
I agree.
Your gifts, your talents, your experiences, and your attitude matter…
But how you present yourself to the world counts too.
This may not be something you want to hear but it doesn’t make it any less true. Sizing someone up based on their appearance is a hardwired habit that can be traced all the way back to the stone age.
In ancient times, our ability to guarantee the continuance of the human race depended on finding a healthy mate.
And back before there were blood tests, external appearances were all we had.
Good skin, bright eyes, and a fit body helped us decide if a possible mate had healthy genes to pass on to our progeny.
Fast forward to the 21st century.
Most educated, evolved humans don’t consciously judge others by their looks, but this ancient hardwired habit continues to exist within us.
It’s one of the reasons you’re not going to get that job at a large corporation if you turn up for the interview looking like you just rolled out of bed.
So how does any of this help in your quest for authentic confidence?
When you present the best version of yourself to the world doors will open for you. More opportunities will come your way if you look your best than if you turn up at parties, interviews, and meetings looking like you haven’t combed your hair in a week.
People will respond to you in positive ways.
And when the world starts to see you at your best, you’ll start to see yourself in the same way. This will create certainty and inner assurance around your abilities and your potential which leads to deep, authentic confidence.
Kill the Inner Critic
We all have an inner critic.
It’s that critical, judgmental voice inside our heads. The one that never stops talking.
The one that tells you you’re not good enough, smart enough, or talented enough.
The one that never stops reminding you about that time you tried to learn how to ski and fell over more times than the 5-year-olds on the kiddie slope.
This voice is not good for you. This voice will hold you back. It will stop you from doing anything or trying anything. It won’t just diminish your confidence, it has the power to destroy it.
So, here’s your mission…
You can do this by learning to replace negative self-talk with empowering, positive thoughts.
The first step is to become aware of what’s going on inside your mind every time you make a mistake or miss a mark or a goal that you set for yourself.
When you start to hear that voice come up, “You’re too slow, too lazy, too stupid…” stop.
Take a deep breath and replace the negative thought with a positive, empowering one.
Say to yourself, “You got this. Don’t worry you can try again. You’ve accomplished harder things – you can do this too. You’re smart. You’re awesome.”
These positive thoughts may feel uncomfortable or even fake…
At least at first.
But keep going. Keep saying them and you’ll start to notice an extraordinary shift…
You’ll start to believe your positive thoughts.
Even more amazing…
You’ll have a powerful feeling of authentic confidence rise up from within. You’ll start to feel like you can do anything…
And you can.
These actionable techniques work as effective tools to ignite authentic confidence within you.
When you keep practicing and implementing these methods, uncertainty and self-doubt will begin to disappear, and you’ll feel more centered, calm, and certain about achieving your goals and dreams.
Never forget…
Taking time to build authentic confidence is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself.
It will change the way you think about yourself and it will transform the way you approach the world around you.
And most importantly…
It will set you up for limitless success.
The Book Of Coaching
How To Be An Authentic Coach, Sign Top Clients, And Deliver REAL Results That Change Lives - No Matter If You're A Beginner Or A Veteran
