Does it sometimes seem like everyone around you is confident and sure of themselves? Chances are, they have doubts just like you. So what’s the secret they’ve discovered about how to be confident? They know that confidence is not something you have, it’s something you create.
Being confident is nothing more than a belief in yourself. It’s the feeling of certainty that you can accomplish whatever you set
your mind to. Confidence comes from within, and you can find ways of being more confident at any time. That’s not to say learning how to be confident will solve all your problems. Everyone has bad days or moments that upset them. Being confident also doesn’t mean you’re completely sure of yourself at all times. Creating confidence is not about knowing it all; it’s about trusting that no matter what happens in a particular situation, you’ll be able to handle it and learn from the outcome.
Learning how to be confident is important in every part of your life, but there are some instances where it’s crucial, especially at times where you feel like giving up. If you are a leader and in a position that requires being convincing and trustworthy, being confident is non-negotiable. No one will follow a leader who appears unsure of themselves. Lack of confidence can seriously impact your ability to put together a winning team and guide them to achieving your company goals.
Even if you’re not in a leadership role, confidence is vital to being a team player in many situations, whether you’re in a sales position or need to present a confident face during frequent interactions with clients. Being confident helps you make instant connections and build relationships that will help you and your company succeed. Confidence is important beyond the workplace, too. Learning how to be more confident can help you attract a partner you can build a healthy relationship with. It can also help you effectively handle conflict and seek out new opportunities that will foster your personal growth.
If you want to learn how to be more confident, you must be willing to change your state. Your state is essentially your mood at any given time of day. Your mood is influenced by how you feel about yourself at that point in time. The good news is you can change your state at any time – no matter what’s going on around you – as long as you know how to do it. Here are three principles of confidence that anyone can use to their advantage – and some real-life examples to help you apply them in any area of your life. So here are my top tips on how to be more confident:
BODY LANGUAGE
Think about someone you know whom you consider extremely confident. When you first met them, you probably knew they were confident before they even started speaking. You knew they were self-assured because of the way they carried themselves and moved. They made eye contact, shook your hand firmly and stood up straight. Want to know how to be confident? Just act like it! When learning how to be confident and mastering the body language of confidence can put you on the path to success. Stand up straight. Square your shoulders and open up your chest. Breathe deeply. Maintain brisk, purposeful strides when you walk to cover more ground. Maintaining a posture like this makes you feel stronger and where your body goes, your mind follows.
POSITIVITY
Thinking positive can manifest itself in several ways. First, change your focus – because “Where focus goes, energy flows,” as Tony says. Instead of getting hung up on all the ways something could go wrong, focus on all the ways it could go right. Think about how you’re going to nail your presentation and how pleased your coworkers will be to hear it. What you focus on becomes your reality – and that includes what you focus on within your own mind. Replace negative words with positive ones and start seeing the bright side of situations. By changing your focus, internally and externally, you’re changing your state. And by changing your state, you’ll change your life.
A GROWTH MINDSET
What do you think being confident entails? You may have some idea that confidence only stems from prior success – that you can only know how to be confident in yourself after you’ve become wildly successful. This sort of core belief severely limits you. Confidence doesn’t come from your outward achievements – it comes from within. Being confident means that if you do fail, you can pick yourself back up and try again instead of throwing in the towel. Once you start taking actionable steps toward your goal of being confident, your beliefs will gradually start to solidify. It’s time to adopt a growth mindset and start believing that you can learn how to be more confident.
ADDITIONAL CONFIDENCE TIPS
The above shifts in your mindset and body will undoubtedly help you learn how to become more confident. As you master these concepts, you can also use the following confidence tips when you need a quick boost of self-esteem.
1. THINK OF SOMETHING THAT EXCITES YOU
If you’re nervous or feeling unsure about an upcoming situation, try picturing a recent accomplishment or an outcome of the situation that excites you. Those who want to learn how to be more confident often forget they’ve had plenty of times where they’ve exuded confidence in the past, and reliving these moments can give them the boost they need.
2. MAKE EYE CONTACT
Connecting with people and showing confidence through eye contact doesn’t just strengthen relationships – it’s one of the quickest ways to exude confidence when you meet new people. Use the 80/20 rule of meeting someone’s eyes 80% of the time and focusing on something else the other 20% so you don’t appear too intense or make the other person uncomfortable.
3. ADOPT A POWER POSE
One of the deepest ways to increase confidence is to connect to your inner power. All of us have the strength within us, but when we’re feeling low it can be difficult to remember it’s there. Consider developing your own personal power pose and breathing deeply to reconnect to your strong core. Your pose can be a yoga pose – the warrior is an especially empowering one – standing with your hands on your hips and your feet shoulder-width apart or simply standing with your head held high and your back straight. The important thing is that your pose achieves the goals of awakening your inner strength and carrying that strength and confidence into every interaction.
RID YOURSELF OF SELF DOUBT AND ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS FASTER
Discovering how to be confident in yourself isn’t an overnight process – it takes time. By shifting how you present yourself physically and what you focus on mentally, you can create confidence that will help propel you toward your goals.
But always remember.. YOU ARE AMAZING! And not matter where you are in your life. YOU CAN achieving anything!
Because I believe IN YOU!
Luke x