Do you have the confidence to take that step into the unknown? What additional wisdom, information or insight do you need to be able to take action?
Faith is either the governor or the accelerant for our lives. If you believe you can, then you will base your efforts on those beliefs. If you lack faith, then you will always struggle to find confidence. In this case, your capacity is correlated to the strength of your faith. What’s holding you back?
“Why escape your intended purpose by copying and trying to be someone else? You will discover who you were meant to be only after you have shown confidence being yourself.”
Suzy Kassem
There is nothing wrong with seeing things others do exceedingly well and being inspired and motivated by their efforts. But instead of merely copying what others do, and losing yourself along the way, perhaps a better way to approach it is with the toolbox concept in mind.
Think of each thing that inspires you as a tool that you would like to add to your toolbox. You aren’t copying and trying to be someone else; instead, you seek to add specific and value-added tools to your own unique set of capabilities.
Throughout a lifetime, no one will build a set of tools and skills as unique as yours. By collecting and curating a distinct collection of aptitudes, you will create a very specialized toolbox, one that is uniquely suited to fulfill your God-given purpose.
Perhaps it is through the collection of the right tools that you can uncover your real purpose?
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 NIV
“Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It’s the sure-footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life.”
What words come to mind for you when you think of those you believe to live in a classy manner? How do the people who exhibit a high degree of class treat others?
The words that jump to my mind are: Dignity, honor, respect, appreciation, confidence, affirmed, responsible, accountable, engaged, thankful, energized, consistent, reliable, secure, self-confident, and I am sure the list could go on and on.
Class is a label applied to people based on how we observe them interacting with ourselves and others. But class is a result. It is an exterior manifestation of something much deeper. People with class know who they are. People with class know how they want to treat, and be treated by, others. People of class demonstrate these behaviors we like because they have built them on a foundation of self-knowledge and self-awareness.
So if you want to be a person with class, get to know and appreciate yourself first. You can’t be something else to someone else if it isn’t a true depiction of what you believe. Make your own list of words capturing the essence of clas and hold yourself accountable to those things. WRITE THEM DOWN… You have to apply all the words to how you think about yourself. Do this consistently and then your exterior will be considered “classy.”
“Confidence sells – people believe in those who believe in themselves. No one wants to be stuck in a room with other people who feel like they don’t deserve to be there. Stop wondering if you’re good enough. Know you are and start acting like it.”
Simon Black
Sometimes you have to act, even when you don’t feel like it.
Sometimes you have to take that first step, even if you doubt yourself.
Sometimes confidence is a result of doing the very thing you don’t know if you can do, and then being amazed by the results.
When in doubt, take action. Self confidence is born from action. Start acting like you believe and everyone else will too…
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
Dale Carnegie
At times sitting and thinking makes a lot of sense. It can be exactly what one needs to gather your thoughts and prepare for action. But sitting and thinking is always about preparing for action. One must have a hard line in the sand that defines when you stop sitting and start doing…
“Confidence comes not from always being right but not fearing to be wrong.”
Unknown
There is such a distinct difference between a person who is always right (ego) and a person that isn’t afraid to be wrong (confident AND humble). I have worked with both and the leadership impact of the latter on those around them is incredible.
The leader who doesn’t HAVE to be right, but cares first and foremost about doing what is right builds a powerful team of thinkers and a culture of openness and candor.
The leader who is always right builds a team of people that are aggressively waiting to be told what to do. Smart people won’t stay in this kind of culture because it is demoralizing and limits the capabilities of the entire organization.
Don’t fear being wrong, embrace it, it sends a powerful lesson to those that you lead and serve.
“Confidence isn’t thinking you are better than everyone else, it’s realizing that you have no reason to compare yourself to anyone else.”
Maryam Hasnaa
What is it that you can honestly say you do well, and with great joy and competency, that you don’t feel the need to compare yourself to anyone else?
When you find this, and are comfortable with being quietly competent without the need to compare yourself to others in a fashion that diminishes their skills and gifts, you have achieved what I define as confidence.
So much of our world today is built around the need to prove ourselves better than others. That is the antithesis of confidence in my mind. I would strongly argue that if you feel the need to do ANYTHING that puts you in a position to be dependent on either the “likes” of others, or in a position that directly puts others down, that you are lacking in true confidence.
So how do you achieve confidence in a world that is built on comparison to others? Find what brings you joy, that which you do well, and that you can do in a manner where the only comparison is within yourself and your desire to grow and improve. Confidence is built internally, not externally.
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
Dale Carnegie
Sitting around waiting for things to happen just sucks. I am the world’s worst at being patient because sometimes patience just feels too much like inaction. I’ve long lived by the tule that it is better to do something, even if it is wrong, than to do nothing at all.
When you are doing something, anything, then you don’t have time to be afraid and worry about all the “what ifs.” Sometimes the action can be physical, sometimes it can be sitting down to reflect and plan the work. Doing something is the key. There is no time or space for sitting idly by in life. If you do, then you will reap what you sow which is nothing…
