Self-confidence, the belief that you can achieve and succeed, often spells the difference between success and failure. I’ve seen it in the classroom, watched it in the business arena and observed it in the corporate world. An individual’s capacity to excel increases as his or her confidence grows.

Several years ago, I played ping-pong with a man whose skill level was much higher than mine. We would often play 10 to 15 games in an evening and for several weeks I never won a game.

However, my skills increased with each evening of practice. While it was frustrating to lose, I could see my improvement. Gradually the games got closer. I bought a better paddle and learned to put spin on every shot. I learned to drive the ball with both my forehand and backhand. Finally, one night I won a close game, then another. If I concentrated and made every shot count, I could beat him. In just a few months, I became one of the top players in our church group. What a confidence booster that was!

Just as diligent practice contributes to skill building in ping-pong, there are factors that contribute to the generation of self-confidence in every aspect of our lives. As you build skills, gain knowledge and increase your abilities, your self-assurance will grow. Six Keys For Gaining Confidence

1. Self-confidence begins with a desire to succeed. I’ve never seen a person become successful or grow in skills and abilities who had no desire to improve. You got to have the “wanna” if you’re “gonna.”
2. Become an expert. It is only when you back-up the desire to succeed with knowledge, training and experience that you achieve a position where nothing can stop you. Self-confidence, based on ability and knowledge, is convincing; it will cause others to believe in you.
3. Don’t worry about what others think, just do it. The fear of what someone will say or think about us, often keeps us from reaching out to embrace new challenges. Stay focused on doing rather than worrying; your fears will decrease as you achieve results.
4. Make a long journey by taking short steps. We often face big challenges and the task may seem overwhelming. We must learn that when we do a small thing well, our confidence will increase so we can take on more demanding tasks.
5. Aim high and believe you can. It is unlikely that anyone will have more confidence in you than you have in yourself. Set high standards and lofty goals for your performance. Believe you can. Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or think you cannot, you’re right.”
6. Surround yourself with confident friends. I believe confidence is catching; those who achieve inspire me. Those who fight back from adversity help me with my battles. From time to time we all need a cheerleader to encourage us. Friends with positive attitudes will bolster our self confidence and help us become successful.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 15th, 2007 at 9:23 am and is filed under health and beauty. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.