Confidence is the Key to Success– Here are 9 Surefire Ways to Build Confidence and Feel More Accomplished
Confidence is an attitude, not an ability. It’s something that we can learn to improve in and apply to any situation we find ourselves in. With the right mindset, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to — no matter how big or small your goals may be.
Here are 9 surefire ways to build confidence and feel more accomplished in all areas of your life. Try them out and see which methods work best for you!
- Believe in yourself
- Stop comparing yourself to others
- Use affirmations
- Practice body language
- Take risks
- Go outside your comfort zone
- Give yourself credit where it’s due
- Compliment others
- Learn from failure
1) Believe in yourself
Feeling confident is all about believing that you can succeed, even when others doubt you—and it’s a trait that can be learned, honed, and cultivated over time.
People who exhibit self-confidence may never have been told they were good at what they do; they might have insecurities just like everyone else, but they don’t let those feelings hold them back from pursuing their goals or achieving whatever they set out to do.
But how do you go from feeling insecure or down on yourself to full-blown confidence?
2) Stop comparing yourself to others
Comparing yourself to others only makes you feel inferior, which will breed low self-esteem and make you less confident in yourself. In order to succeed, you need confidence in yourself—not in others around you.
Be curious: Being curious about people, places and things will help you learn from others—but also keep an open mind when it comes to new ideas or approaches that may be of use in your everyday life or career.
Gain control by facing your fears: You can’t grow if you don’t push your comfort zone a little bit each day!
3) Use affirmations
Affirmations can be a powerful way to turn around self-doubt and negative thinking, which research has shown can affect performance in as little as five minutes after exposure.
Use affirmations when you need a reminder of something positive about yourself that you want to be true every day (like being confident or courageous).
Try making them personal so they’re easy for you to remember; if an affirmation doesn’t sound like something you would say, it might not have quite as much impact on your psyche—so try saying them out loud every day!
You can also write your affirmations down or post them on your mirror where you’ll see them daily until they become ingrained in your mind.
4) Practice body language
When you walk into a room, there’s always someone who will judge you based on your body language. From how high you hold your head up to how much eye contact you make with others, people will be evaluating your body language based on their personal experience and prejudices.
The best way to prepare for such situations is by practicing your body language in advance.
Be curious: Cultivate an attitude of curiosity about people who seem different than you – those who have different backgrounds or experiences from yours can be especially illuminating because they have much to teach us about life that many don’t realize until it’s too late!
5) Take risks
Whether it’s public speaking, approaching a beautiful stranger at a bar, or attempting impossible yoga poses for the first time, nothing will boost your confidence faster than overcoming your fears—and making it out in one piece.
By taking risks, you’ll build self-trust, gain valuable feedback on how to handle yourself under pressure and understand your strengths and weaknesses better than ever before.
You might even discover an entirely new side of yourself that you never knew existed! The best part? You’ll know deep down that you’re stronger than you ever imagined—which could be just what you need to take on some bigger goals.
6) Go outside your comfort zone
Confidence comes from taking action, even if you’re terrified at first. Get out of your comfort zone by signing up for a class, presenting in front of others, or volunteering to do something you would never normally do — like that one time I volunteered to sing My Girl at karaoke (true story).
You might face some rejection or embarrassment along the way, but each time you do so it gets easier and easier. How many of us were too scared to make a cold call for months on end?
But once we did it once, we found it wasn’t nearly as bad as we thought it would be and there were some great benefits that came from making those calls!
The point is — go after what you want!
7) Give yourself credit where it’s due
Sometimes it can be hard to give yourself credit for a job well done, but it’s important that you do. Not only does taking ownership of your accomplishments help boost your confidence, but it can also convince others that you’re capable of achieving great things if they work with you.
To gain control by facing your fears, ask someone who knows you well to list three or four professional goals or achievements that they think you’ve already achieved.
Then make a list of those same items on your own and take time to reflect on each one: what did you do, how did you do it, why was it important?
8) Compliment others
One of the quickest ways to build your own self-confidence is by building someone else’s first. Think about it, when you compliment another person on something they’re wearing or their accomplishments, they’ll automatically feel better about themselves, which will make them want to be around you more because they want you to make them feel that way again!
This reciprocity is a powerful tool in building your own self-esteem; just don’t overdo it or it could backfire. Also, try complimenting people not only on their looks but also things like how well they handled a situation or how happy you are for their achievements.
You’d be surprised at how well someone will respond when you tell them that their happiness made your day better too!
9) Learn from failure
Learning from your mistakes will make you a better entrepreneur, says Laura McClure, founder of She’s Got Systems.
There’s no other way around it, she says. It’s all too easy to beat yourself up when things don’t go according to plan, but being able to take a step back and reflect on what went wrong can help ensure that you avoid those mistakes in future situations—and who knows?
You might even find an unconventional way of solving your problem in a totally new way!
Confidence is the Key to Success
