Written by: Victoria Baylor, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
There is no way around it, but confidence is essential if you are going to reach your goals and gain the tangible success that you desire. Research has shown that in many ways, confidence trumps competence when it comes to how people perceive and trust you. Confident people seem more trustworthy and put others at ease. As a result, confident people are rewarded with opportunities, stronger people connections, and more pay. We all know this. For those who may struggle with their confidence, such a realization can create an undercurrent of insecurity, leaving them to wonder if they have enough of it or pressure to fake it to get by. Others may believe that unless you're born with the lucky "confidence gene," it's impossible to have true confidence. These assumptions are all false.
Misdefining confidence is one of the main reasons why so many people struggle to get and keep it. Allow me to clear up that misconception and a few others. Here are 4 ways to increase your confidence so you can leverage it to grow and achieve your professional or entrepreneurial goals.
1. Redefine confidence.
Merriam Webster defines Confidence as "one's self-assuredness of their own unique qualities and abilities." So your confidence begins with what you think and know about yourself, and it radiates outward. This is the only way to generate authentic confidence. When people don't have genuine confidence, they manufacture or copy it. Many times we see the bravado of others and think our confidence has to look like theirs. But confidence comes in all shapes and sizes. If you're physically a size small, going into a store and putting on a 4X wouldn't make sense. So why would you try and wear someone else's confidence? Do the work to find out your unique qualities and abilities, the things that set you apart from others, and you'll find confidence in a size that feels natural. Consider working with a coach or mentor to help you tap into your unique qualities and abilities.
2. Stop minimizing your strengths.
I recently saw a video of an ant that single-handedly dragged a 2-inch lizard across a patio. Single-Handedly! One has to wonder, "does that ant really realize how strong it is"? What are your strengths? Every professional or entrepreneur has one or more unique strengths that give them a unique market advantage. But many don't know what it is or how to tap into it because they've minimized it to some degree. These capabilities can range from how well they interact with people a technical skills, etc. The trick with strengths is you may assume that everyone shares the same abilities, but the truth is that's simply not the case. If you're struggling to see yours, ask the people around you whom you trust. Consider taking a strength assessment to help pinpoint them as well. When you become well aware of your strengths and how to use them, your confidence will skyrocket.
3. Sharpen your detective skills.
In the business and professional world, people are constantly looking for solutions to their problems and will often pay handsomely for them. You are not equipped to solve every problem, but your unique strengths, abilities, and other branding assets will allow you to easily solve one or a few. Focus on those. Look for the problems others have that you can easily solve and oftentimes without even breaking a sweat. Need help honing in on where you can leverage your strengths? Start by observing how people interact with you about their problems. What do people normally ask for your help with? When people "pick your brain," what do they normally ask? If you notice a pattern, this could be an opportunity to create or offer solutions that will help many people on a greater scale. You are of value when you can solve enough problems for enough people!
4. Find the best situations to "invest & multiply" your confidence.
Confidence is the currency to get things done. And like a currency, your confidence can be leveraged to broaden your experiences, opportunities and expand your reach. This is where everything I've spoken about comes full circle. When you take the time to recognize and develop your strengths and other unique attributes, you can apply them to the types of work or situations that can yield a positive outcome for you. Such outcomes allow you to "multiply" your confidence. You're basically strategically investing your confidence to get more confidence! Have you ever discovered you could do a task well, and the more you did it, the more confident you felt? Yes, that's the pattern! Be strategic on where you want to "invest" your confidence so you not only will achieve more success but more confidence as well!
Gaining a deeper understanding of what confidence really means and taking the aforementioned steps to amplify it will help you not only gain personal satisfaction but also achieve the greater goals and dreams you desire in your business or career.
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Victoria Baylor, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Driven by a profound sense to see others succeed and showcase their Brilliance, Victoria offers expertise in the fields of personal development, personal branding, and mindset growth to help entrepreneurs and professionals gain the clarity and confidence they need to monetize their Brilliance and achieve their Bold Visions and Dreams!
She is a Certified Mindset & Clarity Coach, TEDx Speaker & Amazon Best Selling Author whose holistic approach in coaching, speaking, and writing helps others accelerate their growth and push past their limitations. Using analytical and creative problem-solving skills from a background in research science and clothing design, Victoria helps people remove the mental blocks holding them back and create laser-focused strategies that will enable them to reach their audacious goals while maximizing their profits, energy freedom, and personal happiness.
As a professional & engaging speaker, she shares her clarity, mindset & branding messages with business organizations, colleges, social groups, and charities locally and internationally. Her TEDx talk, "You Are Who You Are, Not What You Do," further underscores the importance of gaining clarity to move beyond external labels and learn, embrace and leverage your uniqueness in your work and life.
She is also a writer for multiple publications and host of the podcast "Awakening Brilliance," where she interviews High Achieving women and shares their pathway to clarity and success.
Victoria's mission is to help entrepreneurs & professionals build a strong mindset and unwavering personal brand that allows them to uniquely see their value, expand their visibility, elevate their opportunities, and make a huge impact through their work and in the world.
