Believe in yourself
Wdoes that mean? This is one approach to the ageold question of how do you get confidence when you don’t have any at the beginning? The answer, according to this statement is to believe in yourself. Whether it’s trying to generate some confidence, or taking an action you aren’t sure you’re ready for, it’s one of the best answers I’ve ever heard. The opposite is also true; if you don’t believe in yourself, what can you possibly accomplish? The ability and willingness to believe in yourself is so crucial to pretty much everything you do. You walk or run without much thought because you believe you can do it. Why can’t your other activities be just as certain to you?
The statement finishes with the comment that if you believe enough in yourself, you will start to convince others that you can do it. Perhaps they will begin to believe that they can do it too. In a way, you are a pioneer, and what you can show the world, they will soon be rooting for you. Even if every attempt isn’t as successful as you would like.
HAT Why is certainty important?
Certainty is something of which every human need at least a little. For some it’s certainty in their finances, in their availability of food or shelter. However, there are some who travel the world and beg for every meal and each night’s lodging. They have no certainty of any of the three, and are perfectly fine with that. They have a certainty that they can make it happen, and that they won’t lack for much for any length of time. But they have their own type and level of certainty. Most of us have certainty in our ability to walk or run. Unless you have an injury, in which case you may have certainty in your ability to work with other devices to be mobile. But you are certain about something in your life. And no, being certain you’re a loser doesn’t count.
These positive certainties are part of what we base our self-worth around, and are the framework for our plans and activities as we move forward with our lives. Yes, we crave a little uncertainty as well, but as long as we have our certainty, we have a safe base from which to operate.
Where can I apply this in my life?
Of what are you certain? Are you a great puzzle solver? What about number games or crossword puzzles? Are you certain about some of your abilities, be it walking, swimming, talking, or something more exotic like juggling or riding a unicycle (or doing both at the same time)? We all have things of which we are certain. I solve problems. I break it down, run the questions to ground, then put together a couple possible solutions for the customer to consider, then I build it, test it, and document it. I do it all the time, and I am absolutely certain of my ability to complete any such task set before me.
This is the core of my life. Even when people aren’t expecting it, if they mention that they have a problem, they often find me on the other end of the phone with a list of ideas and possible solutions. It’s just how I have trained myself. What about you?
About what things are you certain? Are you a good singer, a good dancer, or a good athlete? How does that impact other areas of your life? Does confidence in one area help give confidence in another area? Can you use your confidence as a springboard to increase your confidence in other areas of your life? Would confidence in speaking with others help you in other areas of your life? Would a basic confidence in yourself help you in all areas of your life? I would think so, although my confidence isn’t quite that broad nor quite that deep. From my experience, building confidence relies primarily on two things. The first is getting up and doing something, regardless of how confident you might feel at the moment. The second is by learning something from each attempt. By showing some confidence, by doing it repeatedly, and by learning from what you’re doing, you’re going to develop your own confidence fairly quickly.
And as others see you working on getting things done, they will also start to believe in you, even if the results are still less than encouraging. You might even get some help, be it ideas, hints, people willing to roll up their sleeves, or help cheer you on. Belief will not be of much use without action. And action without belief isn’t a good use of your time. Find a reason, or make one up, as to why you think you might have a chance at success, and get busy. Do, and learn. Repeat until you believe in yourself. Then repeat until you get the desired results. It’s just that easy.