Missing the confidence gene?
Picture an individual radiating with confidence. Their poise and assurance oozes from them, guiding their path and captivating everyone. Incredible, right? Ever feel like the confidence gene skipped you? Well, guess what? Confidence is not something people are born with or born without. Like most things in life, confidence comes from intentional growth.
Develop a growth mindset to grow confidence
Dr. Carol Dweck’s research, on the MDPI website says a growth mindset means believing in one’s ability to learn, improve and grow new skills. Taking a growth mindset can help build confidence in certain skill sets and develop confidence in one’s ability to develop confidence.
Confidence genes don’t exist. Instead, confidence stems from our thoughts and how those thoughts influence our actions. Research into neural plasticity shows that our brains can be rewired to think new thoughts and act in new ways, including with confidence. In other words, it turns out old dogs can learn new tricks.
To develop a growth mindset:
Edit self-talk. As we listen closely to the thoughts we entertain, we can edit the words to build confidence. For example, we can revise “I can’t” to “I’m still learning,” thus encouraging our progress.
Try hard things. To cultivate an environment for confidence growth, choose to take on new challenges. Start with something low stakes and notice how what once was hard slowly becomes easier. Talk about a confidence boost.
Courage and confidence go hand-in-hand
Courage means being willing to risk vulnerability and failure. So, when low confidence plays with our minds, let’s build up the courage to act anyway. The more we take courageous action with a growth mindset, whether it is trying a new skill at work or making that phone call to a new friend, the more our confidence grows.
To cultivate courage, try this:
Label fear. When fearful thoughts pop into the mind, label what kind of fear it is. Is this fear irrational, over-reactive fear? Is this excited fear that comes with doing something new? Logically identifying the fear can shoo irrational fears away. This tip is provided by Amy Kosterlitz and published by the American Bar Association.
Picture it before doing it. Simply visualizing oneself, acting, and speaking with confidence can increase success. Neuroscience teaches that our brains don’t know the difference between visualizations and reality. Let’s take advantage of that fact.
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Genesis HealthCare System’s Health and Wellness content conveniently provides accurate and helpful information. Your health history and current health may impact suggestions provided through our Health and Wellness content. Although we hope this information is helpful, it is not a substitute for your doctor's medical advice. Before making any significant changes, please consult your doctor.
