Career Guidance - 8 Confidence-Boosting Habits You Should Adopt

8 Confidence-Boosting Habits You Should Adopt ASAP

By Lolly Daskal of Inc.
We all know confidence is a big factor of success—it’s the determinant of achievement, the drive that keeps you going. But we don’t always have as much it on hand as we need.

Most people will tell you to “fake it ’til you make it” when it comes to feeling good about yourself. But I’m not a big believer in that. I don’t think you have to fake anything, because you already have within you what you need. You just have to discover the qualities that make you feel important by connecting you with those inner resources, and lead from within.

Here are eight ways to restore your self-assurance daily:



1. Go Out of Your Way to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Confidence comes from taking risks. When you take a chance and get positive results, it proves you’re capable. Wins turn into empowerment. Don’t let the fear of discomfort and failure make you frightened to try—be bold and take the risks you need to be successful.



2. Adopt a Positive Outlook and a Noble Cause

Spend as much time as you need to find the good in life. Consider what’s meaningful, and think about what you want to achieve and how you’re going to achieve it. Look for things that inspire and motivate you. Most of all, adopt a positive outlook and stay connected to a noble cause. Confidence soars when you embark on a mission with an honorable purpose—and if you look around, you’ll realize that those among us who live purposefully and seek out ways to serve others are the most content.



3. Get Up One More Time Than You’ve Fallen

You demonstrate confidence every time you fall down and have the tenacity to get back up—from knowing how to learn from problems and mistakes, let them go, and move on, whether it happens once or a hundred times.



4. Become as Well-Informed as You Can

School yourself on current events and general information—make a point of filling whatever gaps exist in your knowledge so you can build a broad perspective. Being knowledgeable gives you the confidence to contribute meaningfully to conversations and planning.



5. Don’t Let Perfectionism Stop You From Trying

Perfection is the enemy of success. When you feel you have to be perfect, it’s easy to become locked up with enough fear that you don’t even try. Instead, satisfy yourself by doing your best work and having confidence in its value.



6. Look the Part

Make subtle changes to empower yourself through the way you dress, your body language, and even in the way you speak. Taking small steps toward displaying your confidence can help you strengthen it. That doesn’t mean trying to be something you’re not, but showing others your own unique and talented self.



7. Trust Your Instincts and Go With Your Gut

You know more than you think, so learn to trust the inner voice that says, “You can do this.” When that trust is absent, the resulting void keeps you from achieving all that you’re capable of. Trust yourself and you’ll know how to succeed.



8. Don’t Let the Past Dictate Your Future

Your level of assurance is set in part by how you’ve dealt with past struggles. Much of the difference between those who are confident and those who are not lies in how they carry their past. Learn from struggle and make it part of you, and then move forward believing that you are credible, smart, and worthy of success. Show the same compassion to yourself as you do to others.


If you can stretch yourself to cultivate positivity, tenacity, and trust in yourself, you will find a deep well of confidence to lead you in whatever you choose to undertake.