Parlor Talk: Confidence is King
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“Fake it until you make it” is among the common pieces of advice we’ve been told when it comes to confidence. Confidence is one of the most important traits you can have when it comes to self-development in your life and career. Numerous studies have shown that confidence is what sets you apart from everyone else when it comes to upward mobility in the workplace. Faking it until you make it is good advice in the short term, but in a world where confidence is king you want to fake it until you become it. This column will explore confidence and provide tips on how to become the most confident version of yourself.
What is confidence
Confidence is a belief in oneself, the conviction that one has the ability to meet life's challenges and to succeed—and the willingness to act accordingly according to Psychology Today. Despite popular belief confidence is not an innate characteristic, confidence is a skill that you can work on and improve. Nobody is born confident, to be confident takes practice and time. Through improving your confidence though, you will experience a myriad of benefits both in your personal and professional life.
What confidence can do for you
Confidence is one of the most attractive qualities you can express and control in every aspect of your life. Whether it comes to romantic relationships or professional relationships, confident men are the most sought after. Becoming confident will ease your anxiety and fears, instead of the voice in your head telling you “I can’t do it, I’m not good enough”. The confidence you will say “I can do it and I am worthy”. The more confident you are the easier it will be to be more mindful and in control of negative thoughts or emotions that may pop up.
In addition to easing the negative emotions and thoughts, confidence will boost your positive thoughts and emotions. The confident individual is more motivated. If you have that confidence that you can get it done the easier it will be to actually complete your goals. Knowing within yourself that you can do it, can go a long way. When tackling a difficult task or situation like having that first job interview, anxiety and feeling nervous is normal and expected. The confident man doesn't shy away from these feelings or mask them up, they take them head-on. Knowing yourself and being confident can help ease these feelings through knowing that you can deal with these challenges and not be paralyzed by the moment.
When times get tough confidence will give you the resilience to handle any setbacks that might come your way. Instead of beating yourself up and digging yourself into the trap of “I can't do it”, confidence serves as that reassurance to yourself that you can. Confidence allows you to know yourself on a deeper level. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses helps you navigate through life with a clearer view of yourself.
Confidence tips
Becoming confident will take practice and work, as stated above confidence is a skill. The core understanding of confidence is believing in yourself. As cliche as it might sound, believing in yourself is the most important thing in building self confidence. Be mindful and proud of the work that you do, and don’t let others influence your own self-perception. Truly believe and trust in yourself that you are doing the right things.
When faced with adversity remember that mistakes are normal and expected, nobody is perfect in this world and neither are you. Embrace that fact and make every mistake and challenging situation something you can learn from. There is no value in beating yourself up and all the negative self-talk that may come with it, the real value is in moving forward with lessons learned and becoming a better version of yourself everyday.
Practice mindfulness and gratitude. Instead of letting self-doubt and anxiety control you, take on these emotions head-on, acknowledge them and learn where these feelings are coming from. Ask yourself why you are feeling this way and really take the time to dive into these feelings and let them pass. What you don't want to do is ignore these emotions and try to feign confidence. Being mindful requires you to explore the full range of emotions and deal with them accordingly.
Take care of yourself. Self-care in recent times has become a popular term and for good reason. Self-care is different for everyone, for some men it could be working out in the gym, for others it could mean journaling or meditating. Find out what brings you happiness and fulfillment and make sure to incorporate it into your life. The better you feel physically and emotionally, the easier it will be to be confident.
In conclusion, remember that in a world where confidence is king, it is also a skill that can be worked on and improved. Confidence can elevate you in both romantic and professional life. The confident man is motivated and resilient. Face your challenges head-on and learn from every mistake. Practice mindfulness and gratitude and understand yourself on a deep level. Always remember to take care of yourself.
