6 Proven Ways To Build Confidence & Self-Worth
How to Become More Confident?
Understanding Confidence
- The speaker addresses a common question: how to become more confident, likening it to the chicken or egg dilemma—whether confidence comes before action or vice versa.
- Emphasizes that confidence is not innate; rather, it is earned through actions taken throughout life and should be viewed as a skill set.
- Observing confident individuals reveals their body language and demeanor, which reflect their experiences of taking action despite fear and failure.
The Process of Building Confidence
- Highlights the unseen struggles behind confidence, such as fear, procrastination, and self-doubt that many face before achieving results.
- Personal anecdote shared about lacking confidence in skiing but gradually building it by stepping out of comfort zones and taking action.
Key Steps to Enhance Confidence
1. Take Action
- To grow in confidence, one must take action first; waiting for confidence to act leads to stagnation.
- Results from actions—both positive and negative—contribute significantly to building confidence over time.
2. Follow Through on Commitments
- Importance of maintaining a high "do-to-say" ratio: doing what you commit to enhances self-trust, which is foundational for confidence.
- Encourages prioritizing personal commitments because your future self will reflect on today's actions with either pride or regret.
3. Visualization Techniques
- Suggestion to visualize success as a method for reducing anxiety; recounting an experience where visualization helped during a championship basketball game at age 13.
- Visualization can lead to increased feelings of preparedness and reduced nervousness when facing challenging situations.
Visualization and Affirmations for Confidence Building
The Power of Visualization
- Visualizing success is crucial before giving a presentation; it helps combat nervousness by shifting focus from negative outcomes to positive ones.
- Many people unconsciously visualize failure, which contributes to their anxiety. Instead, they should envision themselves succeeding confidently.
- Humans have a natural ability to visualize the future, which can be both a strength and a weakness; it often leads us to mentally rehearse negative scenarios.
- The key question is whether you are rehearsing fears or visualizing confidence; visualization acts as a mental dress rehearsal for your future self.
Transforming Self-Talk with Affirmations
- Affirmations are essential for improving self-talk; many individuals are harsher on themselves than any bully could be.
- Negative self-talk is prevalent and detrimental; changing this narrative is vital for personal growth and confidence.
- Speak to yourself as if you are your biggest fan, affirming your worth and potential rather than focusing on limitations.
- Confidence comes from believing in oneself; it's important to prioritize self-belief over external validation.
Utilizing Incantations
- Incantations involve saying affirmations out loud with energy and repetition, making them more impactful on the nervous system.
- Heightened experiences can rewire our thinking; incantations aim to create significant moments that reinforce positive beliefs about ourselves.
- Your inner critic may stem from outdated protective instincts; affirmations help reprogram this voice towards positivity.
Embracing Failure as Part of Growth
- Fear of failure often prevents people from pursuing their goals; however, experiencing failure is necessary for achieving success.
- Success stories often include numerous failures along the way—embracing these setbacks is crucial for personal development.
- Acknowledging that failure is part of the journey allows individuals to build resilience and ultimately achieve their desired outcomes.
Understanding Confidence Through Failure
The Role of Failure in Building Confidence
- Recognizing that failure is not fatal reduces fear and anxiety, particularly in high-pressure environments like sales, where rejection is frequent.
- Overcoming repeated failures fosters resilience; confidence grows from the ability to recover and persist rather than solely from success.
- True confidence stems from self-trust—believing one can handle any situation rather than expecting to win every time.
Expanding Comfort Zones
- To enhance confidence, individuals should embrace opportunities outside their comfort zones by saying "yes" instead of defaulting to "no."
- Engaging in uncomfortable situations leads to personal growth; confidence expands when one consistently steps beyond familiar boundaries.
- Reflecting on what the best version of oneself would do can guide decisions towards more courageous actions.
Embracing Discomfort for Growth
- Building confidence involves tackling tasks that are initially unappealing or daunting; doing so reinforces self-discipline and determination.
- Cold plunging serves as a metaphor for facing discomfort; while it may be unpleasant, the resulting feelings of accomplishment contribute significantly to self-confidence.
Micro Disciplines Leading to Major Changes
- Small daily choices—like waking up early or making cold calls—accumulate over time, leading to significant shifts in identity and self-assurance.
- Consistent practice of doing what one does not want to do builds a foundation for greater confidence through repeated acts of discipline.
The Power of Action in Building Confidence
- Confidence is cultivated through numerous small decisions made over time, reinforcing the idea that action—not just knowledge—is essential for personal development.
- Visualizing future goals and taking proactive steps—even when motivation wanes—creates a robust sense of self-efficacy and belief in one's capabilities.