5 Myths About Confidence Everyone Believes
1. You have to feel confident to take action
Clients come to me all the time wanting to get a promotion, perform better in their jobs, grow their businesses, or feel more proud of who they are and the work they do. While the exact nature of their challenges differ, they’re all essentially looking for support with the same challenge: combatting confidence-building myths.
Self-confidence is something nearly everyone strives for at work, and with good reason. Typically the number one thing standing in the way of greater success is ourselves. Nevertheless, confidence can feel hard to achieve and hold on to. This is due in large part to the many misconceptions we hold about it. No, you don’t need to “fake it ’til you make it.” Nor is confidence something you’re born with. Confidence is a skill like any other.
Those two misconceptions are just the tip of the iceberg, so let’s dive into five more confidence-building myths and separate them from the facts.
Myth: You Have to Feel Confident to Take Action
Truth: You have to take action to feel confident
Most high-achievers operate under the assumption that you have to feel confident before you take action. The problem is, if you wait around waiting to feel confident, you’ll never take the necessary steps or risks you need to be successful.
Waiting until you feel ready may feel like the safe option, but it’s actually a losing bet. Instead, you have to reverse the equation. In other words, you have to take action in order to feel confident. Taking courageous action results in a sense of competence–proof that you are resilient and have knowledge, skills, abilities, and strengths.
Confidence is a byproduct of success. It’s an outcome, not a prerequisite.
Myth: Confidence is Achieved Through Epic Success
Truth: Confidence is achieved through small wins
We’re used to equating confidence with flashy displays of success, such as winning an award, landing a client, or even being on the cover of a magazine. The…
