How to Be More Confident?

How can you be confident about anything when you have nothing to be confident about? For example, how can you feel confident in your new job if you’ve never done anything like it before? Or how can you be confident in social circumstances when no one has ever liked you? Or how can you be confident in your relationship if you’ve never been in a successful one before? Read this blog to know how to be more confident in everything you do- be it giving interviews, speaking in public, or anything else.

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What is Confidence?

Confidence is the belief in one’s abilities, traits, and judgment. Self-confidence is defined by the American Psychological Association as “a belief that one is capable of successfully meeting the demands of a task.”

It might apply to a general sense of confidence in your capacity to govern your life, or it can be more situational. For example, you may have tremendous self-confidence in one area of knowledge but lack confidence in another. According to research, confidence is vital for one’s physical and psychological well-being.

A strong sense of self-confidence can help you achieve more success in your personal and professional life. For example, studies have shown that more confident people perform better academically. 

Relevant Read: Ways to Boost Self-Confidence When You Are Abroad

What Can Cause a Lack of Confidence?

A person’s lack of confidence can be caused by a variety of factors. Family life, events in their youth, and other life experiences all have a role in molding an individual’s confidence. Genetics might also have an impact on a person’s confidence.

For example, a person with low levels of serotonin and oxytocin due to heredity may have emotions of insecurity. Your temperament may also influence your level of confidence. 

Naturally cautious people are more unsure of themselves and the decisions they make. Bullying or trauma can induce a loss of confidence in some people.

Confident people are happier in life and more successful at work, so finding techniques to enhance your confidence is essential. 

How to be More Confident: Tips and Tricks

Are you lacking confidence? Don’t fret! Fortunately, there are various techniques to boost your self-esteem aka confidence. Implement the ideas given below to be/look more confident (even when you aren’t) in different situations:

During Interviews

You’ve just received a golden ticket—an interview—after a long, hard journey of seeking and applying for new employment.

However, after a brief period of joy, panic creeps in: Your heart is already racing, your palms are sweating, and you’re thinking if hiring supervisors, like sharks, can detect fear.

You’re not alone if the notion of sitting across from a recruiting manager makes your stomach flip. However, don’t allow your nerves to get the better of you! Try one of these tactics to help you feel calm, cool, and collected—or at least appear to be.

• Dress appropriately
• Stay Alert
• Practice Breathing Techniques
• Prepare and rehearse your answers for the common interview questions.
• Make eye contact
• Keep a check on your body movements – do not fidget, twirl your hair, tap your legs etc. 
• Be calm, composed, and smile in between to leave a good impression.
• Don’t be afraid of silence. Take your time to think and answer the questions.
• Ask relevant questions
• Lastly, be positive

Relevant Read: How to Crack an Interview [20 Scientifically Proven Tips]

In Public

Public speaking can be intimidating for everyone, but introverts generally struggle the most. There are, however, techniques for introverts to gain confidence and begin public speaking.

Try one of these tricks to help you feel more calm and confident while speaking in public:

• Practice your speech beforehand
• Ask for honest feedback from your friends and family
• It’s okay to fumble, just keep going
• Smile at the audience to leave a lasting impression
• Speak from your heart, rather than from notes or scripts
• Give yourself time. If you have to give 2-3 speeches one after the other, take a break and catch your breath.
• Motivate yourself 
• Be both a critic and cheerleader for yourself.
• Imagine giving a successful speech and the audience clapping and hooting for you, how would you feel? Step on the stage with the same scenario in your mind.
• Speak slowly and clearly.
• Connect with the audience from the beginning.

About Yourself 

Even after doing a lot, there are days when you feel unworthy and not-so-confident about yourself. It’s okay, we all have our share of bad days!

On such days, you have to be your own ray of sunshine and hype your own self. Read the tips given below to feel more confident about yourself:

• Be proud of your small achievements/milestones.
• Do not judge others.
• Learn to say no – this might be difficult, but it’s better to not do something rather than do it half-heartedly.
• Speak up! Your opinions matter so you should speak up wherever it’s necessary even if you feel otherwise.
• Be a good listener – contrary to the point above, sometimes it’s good to just listen and understand things than to speak. Know the difference!
• Accept that it’s okay to be wrong
• Workout- Do mental exercises to control your emotions and thoughts.
• Believe that sky is the limit
• Take credit for your achievements
• Improve your self-talk. Be more caring towards yourself.
• Practice gratitude
• Create healthy routines
• Live in the present. Let go of the past no matter how hard it is.
• Take it one step/one day at a time.

At Work

Confidence at work can be critical to your overall success.

Aside from enhancing your professional growth and skills, the following tactics will help you enhance your workplace confidence:

• Attend professional development training
• Develop new skills
• Dress like a professional
• Step out of your comfort zone
• Follow in the footsteps of your confident colleagues
• Set daily/weekly goals for yourself
• Focus on your strengths and capitalize on them
• Learn from your mistakes
• Ask as many questions as possible
• Identify your weaknesses and work on them
• Know that its okay to feel shaken sometimes
• Seek encouragement from your peers
• Challenge yourself

Relevant Read: Top 10 Behavioural Skills, Importance, Training Methods

Conclusion

Being more confident begins and ends with you because you have the ability to make judgements and choices. Reminding yourself that you can choose to be confident will help you become more confident. Confidence levels can rise along with success, pleasure, and contentment once you start believing what you tell yourself. We hope this blog helped you in gaining some insight into how to be more confident in different situations. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to comment below.

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