Reading time: 3 minutes
Confidence:
When we talk about our goals, our ambitions, how we want to change, grow, and progress, or even about ourselves in general, confidence is a deep-rooted desire and we don’t even realize it.
When we say “I want to feel comfortable in my skin” we’re really saying “I want to be confident in myself.”
If we don’t have that innate sense of self-assurance, then confidence is a transferable skill that we can begin to foster, and this is how:
1. Do What You’re Good At:
I don’t mean exclusively do what you’re good at. You’ll never build true confidence if you don’t expose yourself to growth outside of your ‘wheelhouse’ but for getting momentum moving in your favor, reinforcing your belief in yourself by showing your prowess within your strengths can pull you from a fragile state of thinking, to an affirmed state.
2. Use Metrics to Track Your Progress:
It’s inhuman to be able to trudge forward without some invasion of negative thought, anxiety, or uncertainty. This is why we need to measure our progress. When we arrive at a state of thinking where we don’t feel so emboldened by ourselves, we should have clear, concise, feedback to scan and inform us of what progress we’ve made. There’s nothing like looking at progress photos, reading through journal entries, monitoring weight/measurement changes, and seeing positive trends to tame your thoughts!
3. Get It Done, Regardless:
When we fail to follow through on the plans we set, the goals we aspire to, or the actions we say that we will, we affirm our own dis-belief in ourselves. Set up the simplest plans, or actions to follow through on, and follow through on them. We can forge hundreds of justifications for not doing so, but you have to break that pattern and nurture your own self discipline, because once you know you can do it, that barrier of actually doing it disintegrates. We are our own worst enemies, so use an accountability partner here, or hire a coach! (Absolutely shameless plug.)
4. Speak Confidently:
One can even spin this to be an extension of “fake it ‘till you make it,” but I see it more as an extension of “be impeccable with your word.” Instead of saying you need to eat a certain way, say that you want to. Instead of saying you hate how you look, say that you’re currently improving yourself. Instead of saying you ‘can’t’ act, be, think, or perform in a certain way, instead try saying you’re getting better at acting, being, or performing in that particular way. As ‘hippy-dippy’ as it may sound, our speech dictates our thinking, and if we’re reading this together right now, we’re probably thinking we’re not confident; it’s time for a change.
Thank you for reading, but remember the value here lies in the application of these 4 tips, so don’t just read, apply them!
As always, reach out for anything
Talk soon,
–codytoofit