Build confidence through action
Confidence…we all want more of it and we all think most people have more than us. What about your past self? Do you have more or less confidence than you used to? Maybe both.
The early stages of our lives, child to adolescent to teenage to young adult all seem to be associated with a whimsical kind of confidence that’s either void of fear or any kind of consideration for consequences. Or the extreme opposite, paralysing fear of rejection or humiliation.
As we start to progress out of the ideologies of young adulthood into the responsibilities of a fully-fledged grown-up. Our perception of ourselves starts to solidify and with it our perceived level of confidence. I say perceived because you are always going to feel you lack confidence outside your comfort zone.
When taking action outside your comfort zone, courage, regardless of confidence, kicks you into gear and moves you forward until your comfort zone re-calibrates and self-assurance takes the place of fear and doubt. From this, comes confidence.
Taking action and building confidence is simple in theory, yet (not difficult) very nuanced and complex in practice. It is the doing as opposed to thinking that gets you taking action (obviously). It’s the doing combined with some reflection that will help you build confidence.
If confidence is a belief in your success, which then stimulates action, you will create more confidence when you take that action.
~ The Confidence Code
Accept the hard work that comes with action
If “action” didn’t require some hard work you probably wouldn’t consider it action. It would probably just be a task or errand. Generally, we save phrases such as “taking action” or “action steps” for anything that requires us to show up or step up to do an activity that is just beyond what we are comfortable with.
I’m going to be brutally honest with you (and myself) for a moment, stop trying to be more confident before taking action. Do the thing that requires action and then keep doing it. Gradually you will accumulate confidence, and before you know it, the hard thing will become easy.
Continue building confidence from that action
Whatever you’re grand goal is, you’ll have small to large wins along the way. It is easy for us to skip past acknowledging our smaller achievements. Once we’re overcome one challenge we’re onto the next.
Think of any of your big achievements. What were the different stages or major action steps?
How did you progress through each stage and action step?
For whatever challenges you are working on now. Why are you capable of overcoming it?
It is all too easy to compare our confidence and success with others, and unfortunately, this results in us dwelling on what we are not. Reminding yourself of past actions and achievements instead reinforces your capabilities in your mind.
Reminding yourself of what you have to feel confident about, consciously or subconsciously encourages that successful behaviour. Thus contributing to you taking more action.
When taking action outside your comfort zone, courage, regardless of confidence, kicks you into gear and moves you forward until your comfort zone re-calibrates and self-assurance takes the place of fear and doubt. From this, comes confidence.
Here at Course Your Career, I write about confidence and career success. I want to help you progress your career by teaching you what I have learnt about overcoming doubt, making improvements and finally landing a dream job.
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