When we’re working towards attaining the life of our dreams, a lack of confidence may be the only thing holding us back from reaching our goals.
We might have all the knowledge, the skills and the talent we need but if we think when I feel confident then I will …
That can be enough to stop us from taking that final leap into doing what we know we have to do.
There’s a tendency to believe that some people are born confident but that is not at all true.
Confidence comes from a mindset shift and from regular behaviours
A champion sports star wasn’t born lucky or more athletic than others, they just put in the time and the practice to hone their skills and bring them closer to their goal.
As an entrepreneur, you know what your passions and skills are and how to express yourself better in the world.
Don’t allow the voice of your inner critic keep you paralysed by fear.
Tap into the wisdom of your inner mentor and access your intuition.
You must take ACTION
Do not wait until your inner critic says when I feel more confident, then I will before you start doing what you know you need to do to set yourself on the path to success.
If you don’t take action you could be left waiting in the wings, perhaps forever.
You build confidence by getting into action.
And knowing that whatever comes your way, you have the wherewithal to deal with it.
Confidence doesn’t make us feel bulletproof
Feeling confident doesn’t mean you will no longer feel nervous about giving that talk in public.
It doesn’t mean you won’t get the jitters before giving that sales presentation.
We all dream about feeling untouched by self-doubt or nerves and being unstoppable.
But it’s normal to feel uncomfortable when things are uncertain and unfamiliar.
Over time you’ll notice that stepping outside your comfort zone will build a sense of quiet confidence in yourself.
Then, the next time you take that big, scary step, it’s not so bad.
If things don’t go as planned, you trust you will figure it out because you’ve done it before.
Is the Fear of Embarrassment Holding You Back From Being Your Very Best Self?
Let me tell you a story…
Many years ago a client of mine in Geelong, Victoria, invited me to do a sales presentation in front of a crowd of corporate clients at the local town hall.
As usual, I was a little nervous about talking in front of a large audience, even though I’d done it many times before.
However, in order to join him on stage, I had to navigate my way across highly polished timber floorboards.
In tall skinny stilettos with smooth soles.
Taking a deep breath I assured myself that everything would be fine.
But a few steps out on to the stage my left foot flew up in front of me.
And thump, down I went on my behind like a sack of cement.
I prayed nobody in the front row caught a glimpse above my hemline.
But the snickering behind cupped hands indicated otherwise.
My client Tony rushed over and helped me awkwardly to my feet.
The cheeks on my face (and my behind) were feeling hot and swollen.
Never before had I felt so embarrassed
As I righted myself one of my heels snapped off.
In that moment of mortification something inside of me kicked in.
Reaching down, I ripped off both my shoes.
Throwing them across the stage, I shouted out “Never liked that shade of black anyway”.
The audience, mostly middle-aged men in suits, started to laugh, not at me but with me.
Getting to their feet and gave me a round of applause.
I took a bow in my stockinged feet and I continued on like it was all part of the act.
That incident, as unfortunate as it was, actually helped to break the ice.
It made me think “heck, what have I got to lose now?”
I sailed through that presentation without a care in the world.
I made a lot of friends that day and a lot of sales for my client.
More than anything I learned I could trust myself to handle anything life threw at me, no matter how humiliating.
And still find a way to come out on top.
I’ve since read it’s a good idea to just go out and embarrass yourself, on purpose
This practice is known as “constructive embarrassment”.
And it’s used in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) to help people overcome social anxiety.
The idea is that by doing things that you find embarrassing on purpose, you will learn you can handle your feelings in those situations.
I don’t know that I’d go that far.
But the point I’m trying to make is that when you summon up the courage to do the thing you fear the most, you can’t help but gain self-confidence.
Because if something goes wrong, you can surprise yourself with your instinctive reaction.
You start to believe that you really do have the confidence to overcome just about anything.
And the more confidence you have in yourself and in your own ability, the less likely you are to cave into all types of fear …
Like embarrassment, criticism, rejection, making mistakes, and failure.
If you found this article interesting, here’s another you might like to check out: DO WOMEN HAVE THE ADVANTAGE IN SELLING?