Confidence Is Key

Unless you’re Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Shirley Temple, or Tiger Woods, chances are you’re like the rest of us and weren’t born good at music, acting, or golfing. Womp womp. The truth is, as humans, there are a lot of things that don’t come naturally to us. For some, being confident is one of those things. So, how can you become more confident in yourself?

For some people, confidence is hardwired into their system. It’s second nature. But for others (many others), it’s not that simple. They need to work at it, focus on it, and practice it. Becoming more confident is hard work, but it’s achievable.

Training Yourself to Become More Confident

In order to become more confident, you need to train yourself to think differently, act differently, and speak differently. It might look simple on paper, but changing your perspective and behavior can be very challenging.

If you feel like your lack of confidence is holding you back in your career and life, it’s time to start training.

Embrace your whole self (including the things that embarrass you).

We all make mistakes, have regrets, and things we wish we could change. If you’re constantly trying to hide those things, it’s going to fuel your insecurities. Instead you should embrace who you are – flaws and all. You’ve got so much to offer this world. If you’re focusing all of your energy on hiding what you don’t love about yourself, you’re going to minimize the good stuff. Take a step back and evaluate who you are and what you think is holding you back. Then, start training yourself to embrace those things wholeheartedly. Be authentic. Be you.

Make yourself uncomfortable on a regular basis.

Do one thing you fear every day. It’s important to continuously challenge yourself to be uncomfortable. It allows you to grow, thrive, and push your limits. And with that, you gain more courage, confidence, and moxie. Who doesn’t want that?

The best way to train yourself to become more confident is to step out of your comfort zone.

When you’re not forced to step outside of your comfort zone, you don’t build resilience. And when you don’t build resilience, you’ll have a hard time fending off confidence-crushing thoughts that bring you down.

Practice being open.

If insecurity and vulnerability is crippling you, consider being open about your situation. It will ease your nervous and allow you to become more confident in yourself.

While confidence comes naturally to some people, it can take a lot of practice for others. If one of your goals this year is to train yourself to become more confident, try incorporating these habits into your daily life. Little by little, you’ll find yourself becoming more assertive and less doubtful.

Originally found on WorkItDaily written by: Ariella Coombs