“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.” - Zen Shin
Just what is so special about confidence? Why are we attracted to confident people and shy away from those that are timid?
Confidence is the ability to believe in one’s strength, perseverance and commitment to make something happen. It is a necessary ingredient for any degree of success in our personal and professional life. Without confidence, we could hold no value of what we offer, we could not take action to make something happen, we couldn’t leap into unknown territory, and we certainly couldn’t learn new skills.
Confidence is a mindset, a state of being and an unshakeable conviction that we can accomplish what we desire. We don’t let lack of knowledge, or lack of funds, or lack of connections stop us, we continue to move forward step by step with full trust and belief that we can have what we seek if we put forth the effort. Lack of confidence can be a defeating factor in any situation. When we don’t feel confident, we won’t or can’t put exert the energy and commitment to persist when things get difficult. Confidence is a blind trust in our ability to develop resources we don’t have, complete the job even though we don’t see the path, and get back up when we flounder and fall.
Confident people have an aura about them, they are natural leaders and we tend to admire and look up to those we feel are confident. They motivate us with their attitude, and let us glimpse possibilities of what could be.
Athletes, politicians, actors, actresses, business executives who are at their peak or striving to be so must be vigilantly confident with no self-doubt. They must consistently strive and thrive and believe that all will be as they desire. There is an active energy surrounding those who are confident, and it’s this positive, purposeful energy that rolls off them and that we sense.
Underdogs in any field must have no self-doubt or fear that they won’t make it. It’s critical for their success that they sleep, breathe and eat large doses of full confidence knowing that they can do everything they set out to do. If people don’t have the confidence and consistent conviction in their idea or their actions, they won’t ever be all they want to be as they’ll eventually give up.
Confident people are tenacious, they don’t give up ever, they are determined to win and have the courage and spirit to do so. Confident people are certain, and when they are uncertain, they use the uncertainty to remain open knowing that something will come their way, and when it does, they immediately take action and use the knowledge, connection or resource as soon as it appears.
Brash confidence is a form of arrogant confidence that typically backfires and results in failure. This type of confidence is an overestimation of our ability and the underestimation of the tasks that lay ahead. Brash confidence does not listen to others, brags about the outcome, and plows on blindly thinking they are infallible. This type of confidence is doomed to bring out failure as it’s risky and not sustainable.
Confidence is not boasting, arrogant or feeling superior to another. It is a quiet, contained inner knowledge that we are capable of doing what we set out to do. The term success breeds success is actually a form of confidence. By doing and becoming successful at something, we become more confident to take on something else. Continued, applied effort gives us confidence as we can see small increments of successful and accomplishment and eventually the big picture of success lies in front of us. When we have the can-do mindset to accept and conquer a challenge and come out on top, that’s unfailing confidence. Dare to believe in the power of your unique gift and self!
What would your life be like if you believed unquestionably in your ability to do something you truly want to do?
What thoughts, emotions, or beliefs about who you are holding you back from doing it?
Are those beliefs about who you are really true, or is it something that someone else is stated about you that you’ve absorbed as truth?
Take some time and sit quietly with no distractions and think about the reasons you’re not feeling confident in doing what you want. Is it a lack of knowledge, lack of practice, lack of funds, lack of connection or something else entirely? Write down what you’ve thought about and see if you can go out and do one small action each day, that even though uncomfortable, will move you toward what you want.
Something as easy as taking a few moments each day to still your mind and focus on what you want can do wonders as this engages your mind to focus on what you really want even though you currently don’t have.
