There is no use beating around the bush – some people are naturally more confident than others. It is a trait that a few lucky ones inherit from their parents, while others have to work hard to develop it.
However, all of us struggling with self-esteem issues often wonder about one vital thing:
Can confidence be taught?
Could you override your instincts and become more confident if you put in the effort?
Let’s dive into it!
Big Things First – Can Confidence Be Taught (and Learned)?
There is no reason for you to feel discouraged if you struggle with feelings of low confidence.
Just like any other skill, you can learn confidence through practice and dedication. The more effort you put into developing your skillset, mindset, and self-belief, the more confident you will become.
Remember, no matter what your current level of confidence is, it is possible to increase it and feel better about yourself and the challenges you face!
3 Key Areas of Confidence
To increase your confidence level, you must first learn what causes it. Many factors contribute to one’s level of confidence, but there are three key areas where most people struggle:
- Competence – People who lack a high level of competence in their respective fields often have difficulty feeling confident about themselves and their abilities. You can become more competent in your field by putting in work and gaining experience.
- Small Everyday Actions – The actions that you take every day directly affect your confidence level. This is why it isn’t easy to feel confident when sitting at home watching TV all day! It’s also why people feel so accomplished after completing a difficult task. Taking action in critical areas of your life will allow you to feel confident about yourself and your abilities!
- Thoughts of Self-Belief – Successful people have a strong belief in themselves. They know that they can accomplish whatever goals they set for themselves, regardless of the challenges they might face. If you are struggling with self-belief, it is essential to realize that your limitations do not define you.
What Does Confidence Mean to You?
Before you start improving your confidence level, you should ask yourself what it means to YOU.
What would YOU do if you had self-confidence?
What makes YOU feel confident?
For some people, confidence means being able to speak in front of large crowds. For others, it is having the ability to work up the courage to ask someone out on a date. And for still others, it is believing that you are worthy of receiving your dream job!
In fact, feeling confident about yourself is the key to living a happy and fulfilling life. The more confidence you have, the more likely you will be to accomplish your goals and fulfill your dreams.
This being said, it can naturally be disappointing when you find out that some people are just born with higher levels of confidence than others.
However, that doesn’t mean that confidence isn’t a skill. As we have determined, you can absolutely learn it if you are willing to work hard.
Now, let’s take a look at some actionable advice on how to begin increasing your self-confidence starting today:
#1 – Take action.
No matter how small your first step may be, start taking action sooner rather than later. It can be anything:
- Research which skills will make you more competent in your field.
- Stand in front of the mirror and assess your body language. Learn the characteristics of confident body language and make mental notes for yourself.
- Think about the most recent success in your life. See how a sense of accomplishment makes you feel.
Start taking action today, and you will see a change in no time. You have nothing to lose except for your negative thoughts and self-doubt!
#2 – Understand the importance of patience.
Realize that this process will take time. It is important not to get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. Give it time, and the results will come.
#3 – Reach out for support.
If you feel like your confidence is lacking and you don’t know where to start, consider receiving help from a friend.
Is there someone who inspires and supports you?
Make an effort to spend time with that person regularly, and they can help you along this journey by encouraging positive thoughts and actions!
Receiving encouragement from others is an integral part of building self-confidence. There are plenty of people who will doubt you, but the right person will push you to succeed and believe in your abilities.
#4 – Learn to embrace failure.
Negative experiences make you doubt yourself more. Because of this, many people believe that they need to avoid failure at all costs to build confidence.
This actually couldn’t be further from the truth!
Failure is necessary when trying something new. Without failure, we can’t learn, and we can never grow into the person we want to become!
If you stay positive and keep trying, you will eventually succeed at almost whatever it is that you are striving for.
In business, it’s called a “failure curve.” At first, your company fails a lot. But the more you experiment with different strategies, the more you will figure out what works. Eventually, your “failure curve” levels off and becomes very small (your company has found that sweet spot).
If you are afraid of failure, it is likely holding you back from beginning to pursue your dreams.
The bottom line is, no matter how blatant it sounds:
Don’t be afraid to fail. Be afraid of never trying because you will never know what could have been if you never tried.
So, Is Confidence Natural or Learned?
The bottom line is:
Although it does come naturally for some people, confidence is a skill like any other. We believe that YOU can increase your level of confidence. YOU can become a confident person!
If you are constantly holding yourself back with fear, worry, and self-doubt, don’t give up hope yet. It really is possible to increase your level of confidence. You just need to know what you are doing wrong and how to fix it.
We invite you to check out the confidence section of our blog for more useful reading.
Your Turn
In conclusion, confidence is a learned skill. It all boils down to how hard you are willing to work and your effort into your goals.
If you want it badly enough, nothing can stop you from achieving the success you deserve.
Now, let’s hear it from you:
Do you believe it is truly possible to become a more confident person?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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