BEING CONFIDENT- THRIVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN YOUR LIFE

What is Confidence?

Confidence originates from a Latin word “Fidere” which means “To trust”.  Therefore, having self-confidence means to trust in one’s self and abilities. It is a feeling of self-assurance that is groomed in an authentic experience of our own ability, sufficiency, and perspective.

Confidence is one life-changing quality that has been misunderstood by some people in recent years. Some people fake it, some mistake it for pride, and some create an image that looks like self-confidence to hide their insecurities. Having a clear picture of what true confidence actually looks like and how it feels will help you understand how it works, how to cultivate it, and how to rebuild it when it declines.

Confidence is also a contagious characteristic in that if you find yourself around confident people and try to bond with them, you begin to get inspired to also be confident. You will know this if you’ve attached to a group with teammates that are really confident, even if they are not 100 percent ready, they always feel positive and don’t get intimidated by other teams that appear to be better. They give it their best shot, and you on the other hand will have to feel confident too, because it’s contagious.

Why does Confidence matter (Benefit of Confidence):

We will be discussing a point that’s very relevant to how confidence can help you thrive to the next level.

Confidence Amplifies quality and success:

Some people believe that if their abilities professionally to perform a task is very strong, if their skills are advanced enough, they don’t need confidence, them.

There is a level of truth in this, but let’s take an instance where yes, a company has seen your talent, how good you are in performing a particular task and you are invited to speak to the board of directors and convince them why out of all other very talented people that applied for this position you should be chosen. Confidence comes into play here.

You would be required to speak on how you trust in yourself and ability and why you deserve a shot at this job, Would you be able to?.

Take note that some people have the talent but lacks confidence, they don’t believe in their capabilities even when people tell them they are very good at what they do. This is because they lack self-confidence.

The lack of self-confidence tends to keep people stuck in the areas where they feel most competent. A place where they don’t need to tackle new skills and situations that would expose their lack of confidence. Confidence motivates you to thrive harder, to always be willing to take the next step and move to a higher level. It gives you the motivation you need to take on a new task without fear.

Whether accepted or not, the quality of your work alone will never get you to that height you want to attain. But when that quality is combined with true self-confidence, people begin to have full assurance in your work and ability.

HOW TO INCREASE SELF CONFIDENCE

If you struggle with insecurity, fear, and negative self-talk. It is possible to transform these feelings into self-confidence, but it’s important you consider the points which will be listed out to help you do this.

1. Increase your capabilities: Make a deliberate effort to improve every day. Make a commitment and follow-through. If you want to be a speaker, for example, start by speaking more to your family and friends then move to smaller events, bigger events. The more you speak, the better you’ll become. That step- by- step improvement will boost your self-confidence.
2. Use your past as a guide: Make reference to past experiences where you achieved something but was quite fearful at first. This simple thinking exercise will provide the courage you need to tackle another challenge that scares you. You will feel more confident to take on this new challenge.
3. Have a positive attitude: Always think positively about yourself. Focus majorly on your strength and less on your weaknesses.

Negative thought has a way of discouraging and preventing you from moving to the next level. It keeps you stuck in your comfort zone.  Instead, focus on your strength, this will create a mind shift and boost your confidence level.

4. Stop Comparing yourself: Nothing destroys self-confidence like comparing yourself with others especially in these modern days where social media has taken over. You begin to compare yourself with people whose life seems perfect on social media is a red flag. Lack of confidence comes from a gap in where you see yourself and where you think you should be. As long as you doing your best, acknowledge your wins, successes, and how much improvement you making every day.
5. Understand your unique strength: Identify what you love and enjoy doing and always give it your best. Your confidence is always higher when you are doing what you love to do.

Also identify your weaknesses so that when you are asked to perform something you’re not good at, you do your best having it in mind that you don’t have to be the best at it. This understanding will always give you the confidence you need and you will not have to feel less confident when you don’t do well at something that is clearly not your strength.

Summary:

Self-confidence is not something you achieve ones and get to have forever. It increases and decreases when you experience situations that challenge your confidence.  Self-confidence takes work to build, develop, and maintain. Understanding the healthy sources of confidence will help you nurture and grow it within yourself.