Tips Tuesday: Confidence Crash Course

There are plenty of factors that play into you becoming the best employee or employer or entrepreneur you can be, and if you’re smart, you’ll never be finished trying to improve in this aspect. For many people, one of the biggest challenges to be faced is gaining confidence in the workplace, whether it be in presenting work to colleagues, having conversations with a higher-up, or just being able to calmly put your best foot forward as an important piece of an organization. It’s not easy being able to look and feel like your best self if you feel like even your best self pales in comparison to the great minds of the organization you’re a part of. Maybe you’re stuck in a toxic corporate culture that fails to recognize your value, working with colleagues who have a perception of you that you think you can’t escape. In any case, it’s important that you’re able to gradually expand your repertoire as a businessperson and exude the confidence that not only draws people to you and your ideas, but also allows you to unlock a new level of greatness and fulfillment in whatever position you’re in. Speaking from personal experience, it takes some time and a lot of hard work, but the payoff is absolutely worth it.

 When I started off, one of my biggest challenges was distractions. Things pop out throughout the day and you’re forced to deal with them, and more often than not it’s not the way you planned for things to go. It can throw you off your game and change your attitude about your work; when you feel like you’re not in control, confidence wanes because confidence is all about being in control of yourself and how people see you. As I moved forward in my career though, other things proved to be unique obstacles, such as budget limitations. Not having enough money can keep you from being self-assured about the quality of your work, and if this is work you’ll have to share with others (which you most likely will), you may panic about all the things that could’ve gone better. Once again, you have to realize that the only things you should worry about are things you can control. With your portion of time and resources, are you giving your best effort to contribute to the goals and progress of your organization? If so, you have to step into the spotlight as confidently as you can and let it be.
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 What are your biggest challenges in building confidence? Let me know in the comments below or tweet them to me with #ConfidenceCrashCourse!

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