Navigate the Ebb & Flow of Confidence with these 5 tips
The origin of the word “confidence” comes from the Latin meaning “with full trust”. So here are some practical tips on how to move forward with faith in yourself:
- Look backwards
It’s easy to focus on the challenge of a current situation, so it’s helpful to reflect on your past achievements so far.
Take a moment to recap on the moments that have led you to finding yourself in a certain moment. When you’re finished here, take 5 mins to create a folder for positive feedback for moments like this!
2. Play to your strengths
Constantly putting energy into things that you’re not so good at can drain confidence and make everything feel like a struggle — make sure you’re doing the things you are good at most of the time.
We all have things we aren’t so good at, so bring people onboard who complement your skill set and who you can learn from along the way.
Write a list of the things you are really good at, with some ideas about how you can improve them even more.
3. Be strategic
Because other people are setting the agenda, a lack of control can be difficult to deal with.
Take a step back and think about what you want to achieve at both macro and micro levels and plan for success.
Trouble speaking up at meetings? Think in advance about what you want to get out of it. Prep a little and plan the contribution you want to make — then make it! If you’re in the room, it’s because you have something to contribute.
4. Go to the edge of you comfort zone
Yes, play to your strengths, but don’t constantly hang out in your comfort zone — challenge yourself to look for opportunities to do things that make you feel a bit uncomfortable.
It’s a fine balance and only you know these boundaries — so make it a bit of an experiment of trial and error!
Look for a low risk opportunity to do something that scares you a bit. Tell a friend your plan so they can support you and hold you accountable.
5. Broaden your perspective
We can all get in our head sometimes and get caught up in the challenges we face — this is when we need to take a big step back. A good way to do this is to have conversations with people in your wider network outside your immediate work bubble.
Practice this with a contact of yours e.g. asking an old boss for feedback on the skill you’re questioning. Use this friendly advice to help build trust in yourself.
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