It takes courage to trust yourself to take a new path and go after the goals that you desire. Self-doubt and procrastination often distract us from succeeding. Your goal might about be about learning a new skill, starting new career or moving to a new country.
The word confidence originates from the Latin root fidere which means trust and faith. Confidence can be defined as a belief that you can trust and be sure about something
There is a strong link between self-confidence and self-belief. Confidence is a skill that you can develop. Action is required to begin building your confidence. There can be so much fear and doubt when embarking on something new.
To achieve your goals this year, you will have to take some calculated risks. There is no other way. Playing it safe is not an option. This is where self-confidence and self-belief comes into play. There was a time in my life when I missed out on new opportunities because I procrastinated and allowed self-doubt to hold me back. My whole approach changed when I learnt about the power of affirmations from one of my favourite authors Louise Hay in her book “Heal Your Life”.
“I use my affirmative thinking to create exactly what I want” – Louise Hay
By changing your inner chatter, you can begin the journey to nurture your self-confidence. Affirmations are a powerful tool you can use to develop your self-confidence and start believing in yourself. An affirmation is a statement or a declaration of a goal in its completed state. The affirmation should be in the present tense. For example, “I am running across the finish line in the London marathon”.
Everything we have already achieved in our lives began with a thought in our subconscious mind. If we want to develop self-confidence and step out of our comfort zone, we need to change our inner chatter. It is useful to write down affirmations of key goals that you wish to achieve this year and recite them every day.
As an Interview Skills & Careers Coach, I have observed that self-doubt and low self-confidence are common issues with some clients, particularly those who have lost their jobs due to redundancy or starting on a new path in life. During coaching, these clients become aware that they have not been using their talents to the full potential.
What Does Low Self Confidence Look Like?
· Not wanting to try something new because of thoughts that it may not work out.
· Wanting everything to be perfect before taking any action.
· Not attending a job interview as not wanting to deal with the rejection.
· Creating false assumptions about how things will work out.
What Does Self- Confidence Look Like?
· Willing to try a new approach even if it does not work out and learning the lessons from the experience.
· Believing you will be ok no matter the outcome.
· Taking a step towards your goal even if you are anxious about the potential risks.
· Making a commitment to ensure your goal is a priority.
Take a Baby Step Today
If you observe babies when they are learning to walk, it does not matter how many times a baby falls over they keep going until they have achieved their goal of walking independently. It is part of the process for achieving goals, we will tumble and fall like babies.
Start small, with a baby step every single day. Write down several affirmations. State where you want to be 12 months from now - using “I am” or “I have” statements:
· “Every day I am using my time wisely by taking specific action to achieve my goals”
· Every day I am exercising at 5:00 am and I have developed muscle tone”.
Keep moving forward because your goal matters and it will transform your future. Take a baby step today and you will look back six months from now and find yourself on a bright new path!!
“Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost” - Erol Ozan
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