Does this question leave you a little flustered? To some, the idea might seem difficult. They’ll answer immediately, “I’m not confident” and may have trouble even remembering a time they were confident. You might be bothered by the question, especially if you’re not sure why confidence should matter at all.
If that’s the case for you, perhaps it’s time to take a closer look at confidence itself. You might not have a clear understanding of just what it is or why it’s important.
What is Confidence?
When you think of someone confident, what do you see? You probably see someone with a certain set of traits including several, if not all the items from this list:
- They have an absolute, set belief in themselves
- They consider themselves capable of handling the situation they’re in
- They expect success when they begin a new task
- When they speak, they mean what they say
- They hold themselves in a way that looks natural but full of strength
- They seem comfortable in their own skin
- At the same time, they’re not overbearing or cocky in their attitude
- They take risks
- They don’t miss out on fresh opportunities
In all of this, you’ll find one thing linking all these traits: this feeling of confidence comes from inside the individual, not outside.
There is nothing in this world that can make you confident… but you.
Our definition then becomes straightforward: Confidence is a belief you hold inside of yourself. It tells you that you can handle whatever comes your way. In fact, this feeling is so strong it translates into a sureness of yourself even in new or challenging situations.
The critical thing to remember is this kind of feeling doesn’t come without merit. This has to be a genuine assurance, born of a realistic understanding of what you’re capable of. Confidence is strongest when it’s built out of self-awareness and experience.
