5 Steps To Building Self-Confidence

By Justin Quigley

Over the past few years, I have spent hundreds of hours coaching individuals, from sales professionals to CEOs, and thousands of hours in the business world. There hasn't been a single person I've worked with or coached who hasn't experienced issues with self-confidence throughout my whole career. Self-confidence is a quality that all of us need to succeed in life, yet it can be challenging to cultivate.

Here's the bottom line:

• Everyone has the right to feel secure.
• Each person has a right to be the best they can be, regardless of their circumstances.
• Everyone is entitled to live the life they were born to live and leave a lasting legacy.

But why should you worry so much about your self-confidence and your coworkers? You must help your staff increase their self-confidence in your organization as a leader. When you build self-confidence, you empower those around you to do the following:

• Work together as a group.
• Resolve conflict.
• Consider constructive criticism a gift.
• Develop excellent interpersonal skills.
• They feel happier and more devoted to their job.
• Be open to new ideas.

All of this sounds fantastic. The real question is: how do you go about gaining this kind of confidence? Take a look at these quick and easy steps to gaining rock-solid self-assurance.

A growth mentality is essential.

As outlined in Carol Dweck's influential book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, we have two primary mindsets regarding new challenges and life in general. According to her, "those who have a fixed mindset feel that their most fundamental attributes, such as intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits." "Instead of honing their skills and abilities, they waste their time proving they have them." On the other hand, a "growth mindset" holds that one's "fundamental talents and abilities may be developed through devotion and hard work – your thoughts and talents are only the starting point." For tremendous success, one must have a passion for learning and the ability to bounce back from failures.

This means that you'll think about what you can take away from your experience in a positive way. You will not obsess over the outcome of your presentation because you appreciate the process of personal improvement. An opportunity to learn from your mistakes is what you perceive this failure as.

Appreciate the good things in your life.

Gratitude is closely linked to better happiness in positive psychology research. Improved health, stronger relationships with loved ones, and more positive emotions are all benefits of cultivating an attitude of gratitude.

Whenever you wake up, take a five-minute break and think about three things you are grateful for. With this, your self-esteem will rise, and you'll be on the path to more happiness and fulfillment.

Boost your ability to follow through on what you claim you'll do.

Your say-do ratio is the percentage of times you keep your promises to yourself. If you're honest with yourself or others, how often do you follow through on your commitments? What's the percentage of the time? If you maintain four out of ten commitments and have a 40% say-to-do ratio, could it be that you are simply gaining muscle? Take a hard look at yourself.

You can improve your say-do ratio by ensuring that your promises to yourself and others are relevant to you. As a rule of thumb, aim for an 80/20 say-to-do balance. I think that's an excellent start. There's always room to go up from here.

When you're afraid, it's time to face it.

Many things might make you nervous as a leader. It would help if you were confident in everything from public speaking and business negotiations to taking hazardous decisions to propel your company forward. Fear is natural when confronted with uncertainty. Giving in to your anxieties, on the other hand, will only amplify their influence and prevent you from realizing your full potential. Face your fears head-on, no matter how big or small they may be.

Imagine the worst-case scenario and think backward. Consider: what can I do or learn to help me prevent the worst-case scenario?

Consider the likelihood of your worst-case scenario occurring:

Once you address your fear, such as when you make a phone call you've been dreading, reward your achievement by treating yourself. Take a walk in the park, go out to eat, or get yourself something you'll appreciate.

Make the most of your abilities.

Workplace engagement and productivity are more likely to be enhanced when employees play to their strengths. When living a happy and successful life, it's essential to focus on what you do best. You can inspire others to follow in your footsteps if you know how to lead from your strengths. As a result, you'll be positioned to fulfill your full leadership potential within your department and your company.

You can place postcards with a list of your skills in a prominent location on your desk. Take a moment to review your list of strengths if you're feeling uncertain or confronted with a difficult situation. Make sure that you don't take your abilities and knowledge for granted. Make the most of what you've worked for because you deserve it.

Competency is a mindset that allows you to accomplish a task efficiently and successfully. Your lack of self-confidence may stem from a lack of experience or expertise in a specific area. You have the potential to be a leader who shows a great deal of compassion. A negative impact on your team's performance will only occur if the necessary competencies for effective leadership aren't developed. To be an effective leader, you must be honest with yourself about the areas you need to improve.

Identify the abilities and competencies you want to develop. Within your company, look for strong role models succeeding in these talents and seek them for mentorship. Keep in mind that you're never too old to start learning. Mentoring and influencing others is an excellent way for leaders to grow and develop themselves.

As an alternative, you can look for outside assistance. Join a mastermind group with other professionals, hire an executive coach, or sign up for our Continuity Program. To put what you've learned into practice, take on new challenges. Keep an open mind and a cheerful, childlike demeanor when doing experiments and learning new things.