building-self-confidence-3

4. Avoid Disaster Dan and the Taverns of Turmoil

Have you ever known or heard of someone that never has anything good to say? No matter how much you focus on what’s right, visualize your victory, and thoroughly prepare, along comes Disaster Dan to mess with your mind.

You talk about how things will be great and they tell you how everything is going to fall apart and how they would be worried if they were you. Do you know what you should tell people like that?

Absolutely nothing.

Don’t tell them about your dreams, aspirations, or goals. Don’t even tell them your name, email address, or where you live. And if they know where you live it’s time to move!

These kinds of people dwell in Taverns of Turmoil—negative environments—which should be avoided at all costs. Instead use your time to...

5. Set bite-sized goals and celebrate success.

When a task, goal, or obstacle appears to be insurmountable your self-confidence can begin to wane. The good news, however, is that small, successful experiences can produce more confidence.

For instance, if you have difficulty meeting people at networking events follow the other four steps in this article and set a small, attainable goal of meeting just one new person. Accomplish this and at the next event you’ll feel more confident as you remember successfully meeting one person previously.

As your confidence grows, celebrate by giving yourself a treat or doing something you enjoy. Then set another small goal of meeting two new people next time and celebrate again. This technique works for anything and is a tremendous confidence booster.

The Million-Dollar Question: Do confident people still get nervous?

YES. Performance anxiety is a normal thing but the more self-confidence you have the sooner it goes away.

Self-confidence is a priceless asset that will frequently tip the odds in your favor. The five steps you just walked though will keep your self-confidence from being like the unicorn – elusive and seldom, if ever, seen.

By the way, if you’re trying to catch a unicorn you need more than self-confidence – you need a therapist.

Many of the world’s most talented and gifted people were once like Tiffany--insecure and unsure. But Tiffany and countless others overcame their insecurities, and so will you. Harness the power of self-confidence because with it you’ve already won.