Self-confidence grows from within, one tiny step at a time, and it grows, not by thinking, but by taking action. The problem is that we go about it the wrong way. Too often we make these giant goals. But what happens if we fail to complete these goals? We see ourselves as total failures and the whole process as a total waste of time, making us feel even worse about ourselves than before we started.
If this is what happens to you, you might want to try this: Pick something you’d like to accomplish. Write it down. Now break down the goal you wrote down into tiny steps. What you want to do is to view each task as a self-contained unit. Each step is a separate and completed task, there to teach you something about yourself. Every time you finish one task, no matter how small it might seem, stop and acknowledge your hard work. What did you like or dislike about the task? Each step will become a stepping stone to a more confident you.
So take the time to praise yourself along the way. Acknowledge your mistakes as well. Failures are nothing but life lessons. They are great opportunities to gain self-confidence. Don’t let an opportunity to practice introspection and problem-solving skills go to waste.
As you complete each task you’ll figure out who you are and what you are capable of. And with each completed task your confidence will grow. But only if you stop along the way to acknowledge the journey. And remember that self-confidence has a lot more to do with what you tell yourself than what other people tell you. Others can speak their minds but only you decide who gets to vote in your world.