Building Confidence
What is confidence?
Definition: “A feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities.” -Oxford Dictionary
Watch the TED talk 3 tips to boost your confidence: CLICK HERE TO WATCH
Below are 10 ways to be more confident at work:
- Cut the negative self-talk
No-one ever got better at anything by beating themselves up. Talk to yourself kindly, and encouragingly, rather than ragging on yourself for making mistakes. A positive mindset will help you learn more easily, which will boost confidence.
- Boost your knowledge
A sure-fire way of being more certain of what you’re doing is to learn more. Read up on the latest research to enhance your knowledge. Knowing how and why certain practices and processes work can boost confidence in your ability to do them.
- Rinse and repeat
Practice is the cornerstone of success. But it’s not only the practice – it’s also correcting mistakes along the way. Every time you complete a task, ask yourself how you could improve on it even more the next time you do it.
- Build on your strengths
Studies have shown that a good way to boost confidence is to focus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses. Accept what you already do well and make an effort to refine your better qualities. It’s a great confidence boost to do something excellently rather than adequately.
- Pick up new skills
There is always room for improvement and learning new skills will not only enhance proficiency at your job but will also boost confidence. Watch what other people do successfully and copy how they do it. Attend seminars designed to help you hone your skills and become a better worker. Pick useful skills such as time management, customer service, and productivity, or learn something new that will help specifically with your job.
- Ask questions
Never be afraid to ask questions when you don’t know something. Doing a task incorrectly because you don’t fully understand it is not a good way to boost confidence. If you’re ever unsure of how something should be done, ask someone else what you need to do. Additionally, don’t go about a project without fully understanding the brief. Better than messing it up and lowering your confidence, ask for clarification of what precisely is required.
- Eliminate negative language
Sometimes the very language we use limits us. If you’re walking around all day saying “I can’t…” you’ll find that you are closing your mind to solutions. Instead ask yourself, “How could I…?” Finding effective solutions will boost confidence greatly. Many people place unnecessary limitations on themselves at work, by using the word “but” in their communication. Stop saying “but” for a while and notice how you can get more done if you make an effort, rather than making excuses.
- Focus on your successes
It’s difficult to boost confidence if you’re bemoaning what you don’t do well. Remind yourself of all the successful projects you’ve done to boost confidence in your abilities at work. Did you meet a tight deadline? Did you manage to turn a difficult project around? Did your boss praise one of your ideas? Recalling successful times at work is a better way to boost confidence instead of constantly focusing on the negatives.
- Fake it until you make it
When approaching a new task or a fresh challenge, it is normal to feel under-confident. If you’re starting a new job, you can’t be expected to know exactly what you’re doing right from the start. But if you put on a positive frame of mind and act confidently, you’ll be surprised how far that will take you. Not only will other people trust in your abilities, but you’ll start to realize that you are a capable person with many skills to offer.
- Have fun
There’s nothing worse for your self-esteem than taking yourself too seriously. Of course you want to do a good job, but you can also have fun while you’re doing it. Learn to laugh at your setbacks and mistakes and take criticism with good humor – you’ll be amazed how being more light-hearted boosts your confidence and helps you improve yourself.
(Taken from www.LifeHack.com)
Question of the day: Which of these 10 ideas could you try when you get to come back to work to feel more confident?
_______________________________________________________________