Self confidence drives your entire professional and personal life. It can
shape your ability to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
Self esteem isn't something you're born with; it's something you develop
gradually throughout life. "Confidence is a habit that can be developed by
acting as if you already had the confidence you desire to have," according to
success guru Brian Tracy. And successful coach Vince Lombardi says, "Confidence
is contagious; so is lack of confidence."
Some people seem to radiate self confidence. They can easily talk in front of
a crowd of people, sell themselves at job interviews or to start an interesting
conversation with people they've never met before. Regardless of the
situation--whether business or personal--they appear comfortable and in control.
If you lack self confidence on a professional or personal level, there's good
news. You can resolve to start building your self-esteem today. Here are
seven tips to help you:
1. Think Positively. When you catch yourself thinking
something negative, replace it with a positive, realistic statement. Substitute
"I'll never get that job" with "I might not get the job, but I'll do my best at
the interview." Or replace "I'll probably make a fool of myself" with "I'll do
the best I can."
2. Take Small Steps Forward. Self confidence takes time to
build, but you can start with small steps. From there, you can use your
successful experiences to lead to other positive experiences that can move you
along the road to recovery.
3. Emphasize Strengths. Give yourself credit for everything
you try. By focusing on what you can do, you applaud yourself for efforts rather
than emphasizing negative outcomes. Starting from a base of what you can do,
instead of what you should do, helps you live within the bounds of your
inevitable limitations.
4. Do Something You're Good At. Indulge in swimming,
running, dancing, cooking, gardening, climbing, painting, writing--anything you
do well. If possible, do something that holds your attention and requires enough
focus to get you into a state where you forget about everything else. You'll
feel more competent afterwards, which will prepare you to face bigger
challenges.
5. Stop Thinking About Yourself. Low self-esteem is often
accompanied by too much focus on yourself. Doing something that absorbs you and
holds your attention can quickly make you feel better.
6. Take Risks. Approach new experiences as opportunities to
learn rather than occasions to win or lose. Doing so opens you up to new
possibilities and can increase your sense of self-acceptance. Not doing so turns
every possibility into an opportunity for failure and inhibits personal growth.
7. Realize That It's OK To Fail. Dare to fail. You don't
learn by doing what you already know. You have to make a step further and try
new things to get better. Think of failure as a lesson-building tool. You can
build on your experience to do better next time.
Remember that you are who you think you are. You can accomplish what you
think you can - no more, no less. So start working on boosting your self
confidence today so you can perform at your fullest potential.
About the Author
Copyright Kate
Smalley Connecticut Secretary Professional Transcription Services Freelance
Secretarial Services http://www.connecticutsecretary.com
kms@connecticutsecretary.com
