How to grow confidence in 3 important steps
Everyone wants to feel and be more confident. There isn't a soul that says he/she wants to be the opposite. I observed many corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, speakers and emcees on how they develop their confidence whether on or off stage, and interestingly I realised that there are 3 important steps to it. I've personally experimented and am proud to say it has helped my friends and me in feeling more confident. Here are the 3 steps:
1. Having utmost belief in what you want to say or do.
Many people lose confidence even before they start anything because they are not pitching or acting on something they believe in. People can feel it if you believe in your own stuff. They want to see and hear your faith in it, and the only way you can show them is when you believe in the things you say and do. Many friends told me that they love my confidence, especially when I speak of animated communication. I was curious and I asked them why they said that. They told me it was because they're convinced by my certainty on adding humor and gestures into daily conversations to help better communications with others. This inspires them to do the same. If you strongly believe in what you want to show or do, confidence will come naturally.
2. Be most familiar with your contents or actions.
You got to be the expert in that field! And what separates you from the rest is the ability to simplify things. If you're coming from a technical or engineering line, you should simplify the message for your audience. In other to do that, you must know the ins and outs of your materials. Knowing your stuff well will definitely increase your confidence, as you're able provide answers to general questions. The audience would also view you as an expert in the field when they can easily understand your contents and actions, and connect with you through your clear and concise message. In my earlier experiences to deliver a presentation, I realised the more clarity and better understanding I have of the topic, I become more confident about it. I ensured I did as much research as I could on the matter to find out as much as I can before the presentation begins – what are the common challenges people faced, and how I can help to resolve them. It is very important to also know that your audience appreciates honesty, humility and any effort made to help them. Owning any shortcomings or mistakes will help to breed confidence. During the presentation, there were some tough questions from a few people in the audience which I didn't know the answer right away. So, I admitted and told them that I would give them the answer as soon as I made any solid findings. This helped to build credibility too. When the crowd adores you, you'll naturally gain self-confidence too. You don't have to be a genius, but you got to know what your contents or actions have to offer to others.
3. You and others are equal, and may have a different point of views.
If you see others as better than or more deserving than you, you indirectly strip yourself of confidence. If you value the approval or views of others too highly, you will have too many worries at the expense of your self-assurance. The mental shift towards equality mindset will automatically grow your self-confidence. I became more confident when I open myself to learning from others. I don't necessarily need to agree with everyone or everything that I hear, but it allowed me to appreciate different perspectives. With my wants, needs and facts to support them, I was able to form my own opinion on a particular matter and make my own decisions and choices. This boosted my confidence tremendously.
Practice these 3 steps over and over again, countless time until you're bored about it. You'll definitely see and appreciate the much more confident version of you by then.
Feel free to reach out to me at jeffro.ong@gmail.com, if you wish to discuss more about how to boost your self-confidence in other areas.
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