Confidence is not a natural ability we are born with, it’s a muscle that we train every single day.
The first step to building confidence is to just get started.
You may be thinking that there are quite a few cornerstone habits to build to be confident, there are. But none of them can be achieved without taking any sort of action. Taking these small steps will eventually help you practice long-lasting confidence.
Start by recognizing your worth at work.
There is a reason you were chosen to do the job. Your boss saw something unique in you which you can bring to the team. Most often, this is something to do with your character. Perhaps, it is a burning passion that aligns with the organisation’s purpose.
If your worth is still hard to believe, then try to make a list of what makes you special. What are the things that make you who you are? This may open your eyes to the fact that you are irreplaceable on your team.
Confidence starts with tackling self-doubt, be kinder to yourself!
Once you acknowledge your unique characteristics, you have to start believing in yourself.
The easiest way to adopt quick self-esteem is by saying self-affirmations out loud. Before you enter that meeting room where your team members are waiting for you, tell yourself that you are doing amazing things and that you deserve to be there, then walk in.
Focus on your body language.
Walk in with your head held high! Body language is the key to radiating confidence. If you are going into a meeting, keep your posture straight and your shoulders back. This helps project your voice as well when you speak. Carry this behaviour over into the office spaces where you interact with your colleagues daily.
When you are speaking, use your hands.
If someone was talking to you with their hands tucked away in their pockets, or in their lap, you would not listen to them attentively. We tend to not trust people as much when we cannot see their hands. Crazy, right? To play this to your advantage for coming across as more confident, use your hands to mirror your words when necessary.
Sometimes just let your body radiate the confidence and let it speak for you.
Not only does it engage your colleagues and helps them focus, but it also shows a certain degree of passion you have for the topic.
Do not contemplate embarrassment, at all.
A confident person fears very little. This is because they are so sure of their reason to be doing something. They are driven by purpose and self-worth. Hence, they rarely get embarrassed.
When you interact with your colleagues and peers, you have to adopt an embarrassment-free mindset.
Do you actually recall a moment someone did something embarrassing? The answer is most likely no. We tend to forget when someone else did something embarrassing relatively quickly, but we never forget when we did it ourselves.
If no one else will remember, do not worry about it.
Instead, take the action that you think you should do. In a meeting, if you are concerned that your point is embarrassing, so you rather not say it, say it anyway! Your colleagues will more likely be impressed by the fact that you actually spoke up in the first place.
Practice your mistakes.
Of course, public speaking can be difficult. If you stumble, practice the argument you wanted to make later in private. Go back the next day and articulate it better.
Natural talent does not exist, only repetition. Confidence takes constant repetition.
Finally, if you remember that you deserve to be there, and you tell yourself that you belong to that workplace, then the confidence will come naturally.
