I’ve been asked many times, and in many different ways, where does my or anyone’s confidence come from? The truth is, I don’t know. But I do know all things being equal – ability, opportunity, and support – confidence often determines who succeeds and who sinks.
Confidence is not to be mistaken with arrogance. What I am proposing here is that confident people simply know and are excited about the great things that make them unique.
Here are a few questions to test your confidence
1. What are the skills (no matter how random) or the talents and abilities that you bring to every situation?
2. Do you know your professional and personal self-worth? (I know many talented, bright, energetic people who don’t know their professional or personal self-worth because they lack true self-confidence).
3. What makes you special, i.e., what is your point of differentiation)? (If you don’t know – don’t expect others to know if you can’t name it and highlight it if you can’t.)
4. Do you listen to people who genuinely compliment you on your strengths and contributions and take it in?
5. What one thing are you really good at and bring that “thing” to others?
"The things we are good at are the things we tend to do." In themselves, they are not huge but have huge “potential value” for others. Start today by exploring and ultimately being clear about one thing you do well and can bring to any table with confidence.
