Self Confidence - The Power To Succeed

Today is a big day, it's your teams day to present that risky new proposal to a high rolling client. You're aware that if you get it right, this could do wonders for that promotion you're gunning for, time to give up the glory-less slave and start earning what you're worth. All eyes are on you. As you're driving to work you start to think about the day ahead, and that little voice inside your head starts to work against you.

By the time you arrive at the parking building, you're contemplating turning the car around, going home and calling in sick..... There will always be next time.

The clients arrive and you feel the knot in your stomach tighten as you take a step toward the back of your presentation team. 20 minutes pass, standing at the back of your group as your chatty work-mate works the room, the clients are impressed, it's a job well done for your colleague. As you stand at the back of the group, aware that you've achieved nothing, you think to yourself "Why isn't that me, why can't I get up the courage to present my work to these people when I know this project like the back of my hand."

Self confidence is often the deciding factor between success and failure. Not natural talent or luck, but the confidence to share your thoughts and opinions without fear..... Or at least without showing fear.

Self confidence is an attitude that is characterized by a positive belief that one can take control of one's life and of one's plans.

People who are self confident are those who know they have the skills and ability to achieve, and most importantly take action! They do not rely on the approval of other people in order to affirm their existence. It is enough that they know they have the capacity and the potential to achieve what they want to achieve, and can see that what other people think is trivial.

Building Your Self Confidence

Although a confident person often shows these characteristics from a young age, it is definitely possible to work on your self belief and build confidence at any age.

Sadly, lack of confidence in a person often presents itself as lack of skill. If a person writes award winning quality short stories, but is too self-conscious to share their work, no-one will ever know they have any talent in this area, and the likelihood is that this ability won't develop and grow.

If you are wanting in self confidence, then you must commit to thinking about yourself and working on building yoru self confidence.

Take a step back and have a look at what you excel at. Make the most of your strengths and gather positive points. This will help you gain self confidence. Do not expect everything to be perfect because you are bound to do something wrong along the way. Nobody is perfect and everyone is culpable of making mistakes.

Acknowledge your abilities and talent and take stock of them. Do not under estimate yourself. Try to recognize every little thing you have done which has become successful. Try to learn a new skill, and try to learn new things as this will make you a better person.

Pride and passion will do wonders for your self confidence. Look through photo albums and old certificates, and remember the times that you set your mind to achieving something, and did it. It can be photos of past achievements like when you won a race or won a debate; it can be a poem you wrote which was published in a book. Concentrate on things that you have achieved and take it from there. This will give you more confidence to do other things in life.

Developing self confidence is by no means a simple task, particularly if you do not think highly of yourself. If you want to be self confident, avoid things that will discourage you from gaining confidence. Do not dwell on past mistakes or failures. Successful, confident people focus on positives, they learn from negative experiences and move on. Accepting a negative attitude and dwelling on negatives will only build a negative view of yourself.

If your friends play a role in actively putting you down and giving you a negative view of yourself, you need to get rid of them. A true friend won't work to harm your self-image, building your self confidence is about respecting your right to be happy and outgoing, a big part of thinking about your own well being is removing negative influences.