Life
10 Powerful Ways to Build Unstoppable Confidence
It’s a scary thought isn’t it?– “I don’t have what it takes to make my dreams come true” Success, fame, wealth – all your dreams might remain…well, just pipe dreams. You wish you were more confident. Like all those really successful people you have heard about.
Newsflash – these people are not fundamentally more confident than you are. They have developed it along the way. You, yes you, can do the same! Where does tis confidence come from? Confidence is a feeling, an emotion, that helps you take challenges head on, gain the respect of important people and become more productive.
But what’s the source of this confidence? True confidence that comes from taking action – doing the right things that get you real results. It’s having the knowledge that you are on the right track. And here’s the best part…Taking these confidence boosting actions is far easier than you think.
Here are 10 powerful ways to build unstoppable confidence:
1. Find your tribe
Are you trying to win this on your own? Wouldn’t it be easier if you had friends who share your dreams, as well as your fears and frustrations? People who will support you through your ups and downs. To find your tribe, join a community of ambitious people who are on the same path as you are. If you have a start-up, go to entrepreneur meetups; if you want to be a successful blogger, join an online blogger community. You will gain access to the collective experience of dozens of smart people. You will pick up amazing hacks and avoid unnecessary mistakes. You will also realize: If other people like you can become successful, why can’t you too? Your tribe will be an enormous source of confidence that will propel you towards success. You are not alone!
“Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.” – Peter T. Mcintyre
2. Choose the right battles
Do you spend too much time trying to ‘fix’ your weaknesses? For example, you might be great at marketing, but technology is your worst nightmare. Trying to solve tech problems might make you feel helpless and you could end up procrastinating. Devoting time and energy without results will affect your overall confidence levels. Instead, why not just outsource or delegate it? Sometimes, the key to better confidence is to avoid something, rather than do something. Focus on your strengths and you will see your confidence soar!
3. Embrace failure
How many times did Edison fail before he succeeded in inventing the light bulb? Over a thousand! All super-successful people have experienced numerous failures. They won because they persisted. They learnt from their mistakes, changed their approach and kept trying until they got it right. Simple fact: Anytime you do something new, you are bound to make mistakes. Accept this fact, and you will transform failure into a source of determination, not disappointment.
4. Take tiny steps
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your goal? Does it seem too difficult? The best way to deal with a massive undertaking is to break it up into smaller goals – small projects that you know you can achieve. Jack Welch, GE’s legendary former CEO, used to stress on the importance of small daily achievements. These small wins will fire up your confidence to take on bigger goals head on!
5. Start right
How you start your day has tremendous influence on your mood for the rest of the day. Begin your day by tackling the most important task. Decide what you want to work on the evening before, so that you can kick off first thing in the morning. Scratching off the most important task is like scoring the first goal of the game! It pumps you up for more action!
“Successful people have fear, successful people have doubts, and successful people have worries. They just don’t let these feelings stop them.” – T. Harv Eker
6. Get real
Are you trying to do too much? One of the biggest blows to your confidence happens when you continually fail to meet your own targets. Instead, set targets that you know you can accomplish. As Steve Jobs used to say, “rather than try to do everything, focus on a few things that yield the maximum results”. It’s important to push your limits, but don’t push yourself (and your confidence) off the edge!
7. Make a movie
Is the thought of an upcoming project, client meeting or presentation giving you the jitters? Try this hack that helped Michael Phelps win 22 Olympic medals. Close your eyes for 2 minutes and play a mental movie of the upcoming task. Anticipate the challenges and visualize yourself tackling them successfully. Michael Phelps used to do this every time before a swim. This simple visualization can fill you with a champion’s confidence.
8. Get physical
Your body has a powerful influence on your mood. Whenever you feel the pangs of doubt, get up and do a few pushups or spot jogging. Pumping adrenaline into your system is a sure-fire way of switching on your fighting mode. If you really want to notice a permanent improvement in confidence, start exercising for just 10-15 minutes a day. The Eastern Ontario Research Institute concluded from a study, that people who exercised twice a week for 10 weeks felt more competent in several areas of life – socially, academically, and athletically. No wonder billionaire Richard Branson swears by exercise.
9. Get a coach
Do you have someone to guide you personally? Someone who will help you set the right goals and targets, support and push you to execute those goals and correct you when you are going wrong? Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google said that his best advice to new CEOs is to have a coach. A coach can give you the confidence that you are on the right track, help you make far fewer mistakes and seriously speed up your success. Why not try this?
10. Make fear your friend
Ever heard of ‘Productive Paranoia’? It’s a term bestselling author Jim Collins uses in his book, ‘Great by Choice’. It means that if you are afraid, you will take action to address the cause of fear. Bill Gates said that he used to worry about what an unknown teenager might be working on in his garage that might make existing technology obsolete. He channelled that fear into working even harder. Use your fear to take action. You will no longer feel helpless, but in control. That’s when your confidence will take a huge leap. You can take it on!
“The path to success is to take massive, determined action.” – Tony Robbins
Confidence doesn’t come out of thin air. It’s earned by the things that we do, by the small actions that we take every single day. You can build unstoppable confidence. You do have what it takes to make your dreams come true.