Blog written by recruiter Koreena Geisler-Wagner
Ever heard the phrase, “fake it ’till you make it”? Though skill and experience clearly impact one’s ability to “make it,” confidence (or lack thereof) plays a role, too. Whether you believe you have the necessary skills or experience will affect your performance more than simply possessing those skills and experiences. In his article “4 Powerful Steps to Build Confidence,” Kevin Kruse interviews Angie Morgan, author of Spark: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success, about what confidence is and how best to gain it. Here are the biggest take-aways:
- Confidence is an emotion, and, like any emotion, it can be managed. In Morgan’s words: “So much about success is just really in our beliefs about our abilities, and that’s confidence. It is your belief in the moment about your abilities to either succeed or to fail.”
- Strive to experience success rather than just achieve it. What good is achieving success if you don’t feel you’ve actually owned it? People take pride in their experiences; therefore, experiencing success will allow one to take pride and ownership in their successes.
- Develop positive self-appraisals. While humbleness and modesty are among the most valued personality traits, you should internally be aware of all your capabilities and competencies– your mind is not the place to put down or dismiss your skill-sets!
- Learn to manage your “confidence-killing” emotions: fear, worry, and insecurity. This one may seem obvious, but we would argue it’s the most difficult of these points to maintain or even achieve. When fearful, worrisome, or insecure thoughts begin to creep into your mind, recognize them for what they are: tentative feelings that hold no bearing on the future unless you let them.
Photo: Retrieved from Pixabay, available through the Public Domain.