You might be surprised how often my confidence becomes shaky.
I frequently speak publicly. I run a coaching firm. I ‘put myself out there’ all the time. I coach others to enhance their confidence.
Most, if not all, of what I do requires a healthy level of confidence.
And yet.
I receive a critical email, I don’t get the gig, or my manuscript is rejected.
Does my confidence take a hit?
You bet.
With one important word attached:
Temporarily.
I get knocked down just like the rest of the world. I start to question and doubt and second-guess myself. Just last weekend I burst into tears when sharing a recent confidence-crusher with a friend.
But at the same time, I have done – and continue to do – the work to raise my baseline level of confidence. When it dips, it typically doesn’t dip as far as it used to. And generally, it doesn’t stay there for long.
Here are a few of the components I have found helpful in my confidence-building, in case you want to give them a try:
Review Your Celebration of Triumphs.
A Celebration of Triumphs, which you can read more about here, consists of wins and highlight moments from your own life that make you feel happy / proud / fulfilled. Pull out your list (or start one now), review it, add to it. Remind yourself that you’ve done many great things and will continue to do so.
Talk With Your Coach.
While family and friends can provide incredible support, we also benefit from speaking with objective partners who have no involvement or agenda other than wanting us to succeed. Hearing my coach point out something I’m not seeing for myself, or somehow remind me of my capability, tends to bring me back swiftly from a confidence dip.
Engage In A Daily Mindset Practice.
What exactly a daily mindset practice involves will vary from person to person. A few of my tried-and-true practices include: journaling, affirmations, clarity walks, devotional + prayer, gratitude logs (and, more recently, Daily Delights), and setting a daily intention. I often pick and choose as the day warrants.
I love the days where everything goes smoothly, I receive praise instead of criticism, my plans all work out, and it feels like all is right in the world. But, since that’s not the case every day, I also love knowing I have some tools in my toolkit to help raise my confidence when it takes a dip.
What do you find helpful when your confidence takes a hit?
We discuss confidence in the ASPIRE Success Club – learn more here!
Christi Hegstad, PhD, PCC, is the Practical + Purposeful Coach for Achievers! Join our email community for coaching tips, book recommendations, and more!