It’s never too late to be who you might have been. ~ George Elliot

The Blue Print For Confidence

So much of what happens in our lives, the decisions we make that propel us down one path or the other, all comes down to confidence. Whether we have it or whether we project it.

Confidence – meaning “assurance, poise, self belief – is the fuel that allows us to fly, the lack of which keeps us grounded. Confidence attracts confidence and gets us to try new things, even things seemingly beyond our reach. New jobs, daring adventure, that new relationship you thought was out of your reach. It makes or breaks us, in terms of success.

So, the question is: How do you get confidence?

Your attitude is a choice in building it, but there are some sure-fire ways to start building more confidence in your life.

One: Set yourself up for success by choosing to feel good about yourself.

Now, that seems simple enough, but think of it this way: Have you ever lost a little weight and it seemed like every time you turned around, someone was saying, “You look great. Oh my gosh! What is it about you? Did you get a haircut? You look phenomenal.”You felt good about yourself that day. And you probably felt empowered and more accomplished at work that day, too.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of wearing something you feel good in. That pair of jeans or a shirt that people always compliment. Your power suit. That great pair of shoes. When you feel like that, you have an extra boost of confidence to attempt bigger, better things. Nothing’s going to stop you, and you can do anything. That’s how you want to feel about yourself every day.

Two: Repeat after me: knowledge is confidence.

The more you know, the more confident you feel to talk about it. So that’s an easy one, right? There is no reason why you shouldn’t be learning every single day. It’s a win-win: a confidence builder that keeps on giving and giving.

Whether you’re in real estate, shoes or automotive sales – or whatever you do for a living – you can separate yourself from the pack by knowing more about your product, your market, your competition, etc., than anyone else in your company. It’s that knowledge that gives you confidence.

So, tonight, instead of watching 30 minutes of TV, make it 30 minutes to success. Devote 30 minutes to researching new information about your trade, and see how well that information serves you the next day.

Prepare and project.

But it’s not just about building your own confidence, also important is the way you express yourself, handle yourself. The way you project confidence. It’s in the way you carry yourself. It’s in the tone of your voice, the way you approach sharing the knowledge and passion you have for your work.

There are a lot of people that just ‘wing it.’ The presentation, the sales pitch, they just flat out ask for whatever it is they want.

Believe me, you can always tell when someone is winging it; they are just talking about what they know, instead of what the other person really wants to know.

Preparation builds confidence. Think back to when you prepared for a test at school. You studied by yourself and with others, and you felt like you knew it all. The day of the test, you knew in your mind that you were prepared. You knew the answers. Now think of the time you didn’t prepare for the test. You ‘winged it.’ You had very little confidence that you would pass, in fact you had such anxiety that you made yourself feel sick-sick enough to stay home from school.

Confidence isn’t rocket science. It’s a simple of matter of doing all you can to be the best you can be. And the great news is: You can do it now. You can fix it now. Whatever it takes to boost your confidence, make it up to yourself. Wear or buy more of that thing you wear that makes you feel sharp, professional, stylish and smart. Look the part of the successful person you are. Spend time everyday learning as much as you can about what you do. Empower yourself to succeed by digging for knowledge that sets you apart from the pack.

Confidence may not be something you’re born with, but you can grow it with a little effort.

YOUR BEST… ON PAPER
What do you have right now, this very day, to be confident about?

Write it down.

What skills or attributes are you most proud of and how do they help you in business and in life?