“It is confidence in our bodies, minds and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures, new directions to grow in, and new lessons to learn – which is what life is all about.”
Few people would argue with these words from media mogul Oprah Winfrey. But sometimes, self-confidence is hard to achieve, especially around your career. Maybe you started off strong vying for that dream job, but stopped just short of hitting “send” on your application, because you didn’t quite think you could do it. Or, perhaps you held back on sharing an idea, which may have been the key to success on a challenging group project. You’ll never know, though, because when the opportunity arose at that last brainstorming session, you couldn’t bring yourself to say it out loud. Because, what if they hated it? Or looked at you like you’d lost your mind?
The Ball is in Your Court
You may have loyal colleagues who will go to bat for you, but when all is said and done, you can’t rely solely on others to get ahead. It won’t always be easy, but it’s up to you to overcome self-doubt and boost your confidence, whatever the circumstances. The good news is: with a few helpful tips, you can do it – and find those new adventures and growth directions.
Carry out a SWOT analysis.
Start off by identifying your strengths and weaknesses. This can be accomplished through a personal SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. From here, you develop a plan for how to best address your self-doubt.
Take cues from those around you.
Self-doubt can often be overcome by feeding off the confidence and courage of others. Look for examples of coworkers who never seem to hesitate when asked to take on stretch assignments or difficult tasks. You may think they’re fearless, but in reality, many of them probably also feel some level of doubt or anxiety, but they take a leap of faith and act anyway.
- Remember: If you hold yourself to a higher bar than others and as a result, stop short of taking calculated risks or pursing bigger opportunities, you likely will get left behind. You were hired to contribute and succeed in your role. Even if this means making a mistake or having an idea rejected on occasion, it’s still a big step on your growth path.
Stop putting yourself down with your words.
You can further develop your self-confidence by recognizing and minimizing how often you use diminishing language when sharing thoughts or ideas. Try to avoid rhetorical questions or opening qualifiers, such as, “Does this make sense?” or “This may not be the best idea, but …”
- As an alternative, confirm that your audience is following along using confident, open-ended questions like “What are your thoughts?” or “What questions do you have?”
For additional guidance on building your confidence, finding your growth path, and making your career soar, contact Accurate Staffing Solutions today.