How To Be Confident: 7 Attributes Of A Confident Person
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
The True Meaning of Confidence
What is the first image that comes to your mind when someone mentions the term “Confidence?”
We tend to associate confidence with dominance, power, coolness, and other things that are positive in nature.
But in reality, confidence simply means to believe in something or someone. According to the Oxford dictionary, the word “confidence” originates from the Latin root ‘con’ meaning together and ‘fidere’ meaning faith/trust/belief.
It’s defined as a feeling or belief that you can do well or succeed at something. This is a feeling that we need to tap into and nurture in order to become more confident.
What makes confidence so powerful is the fact that as people get older, they begin to lose the sense of confidence they ad as a child, especially if they are unable to grow up feeling comfortable in their skin. The good news however is that like any skill, confidence can be learned.
Real confidence is simply the ability to be vulnerable and be OK with that.
How Confidence Works
Real confidence isn’t about being powerful or cool or full of swagger – in today’s world, it’s simply the ability to be vulnerable and be OK with that. There are many reasons why some people have more confidence than others, and several factors that contribute to it, but here are some attributes that a confident person exudes- that you can learn too and start actioning on to improve your confidence.
1. Confident people have high Self Esteem
When it comes to the picture you have of yourself, studies show that confident people tend to focus on their abilities and not their appearance or how others view them. Additionally, confident people like the way they look and take good care of themselves. Instead of allowing negative thoughts about their appearance to get in the way of their confidence, they build up their body through healthy eating and regular exercise.
2. Confident people have high Self Efficacy
Confident people have faith that they will accomplish what they set out to do. They don’t get bogged down by the possibility of failure, but instead focus on their goals and how to achieve them. Confident people also take the time to challenge themselves so they can learn new things or accomplish something great. When you’re confident in your abilities it’s easier for you to push yourself out of your comfort zone.
3.Confident people create positive environment
The environment you’re in also plays a role in how confident you are. Studies show that confident people tend to be more successful when they are around others who have similar traits or abilities. This is because there’s less pressure on the confident person, so they can focus on their work instead of feeling insecure. Just being around someone with great self-esteem can make you more confident about yourself.
4. Confident people make positive experiences
Your experiences influence how confident you are. What may seem like a small failure to someone else could lead to major insecurities for others. Confident people believe that each experience contributes to who they are, and not get down on themselves when things don’t go according to plan. There are always lessons to be learned from failing, even if it’s hard to see them while you’re going through this experience.
5. Confident people build skills
There are many reasons why some people have more confidence than others. One of the main reasons is because they take the time to work on their skills. So, like any skill, confidence can be learned so you have the skills to back up that belief.
6. Confident people have positive self talk
Self-talk is one of the most important factors when it comes to building your confidence level. We all have negative thoughts pop into your head throughout the day, even when you’re in a happy place. Confident people don’t dwell on these negative thoughts, and instead replace them with positive ones.
7. Confident people embrace their true self
Confident people are able to embrace uncertainty because they know that without self-doubt there would be no chance for growth. Real confidence is about being who you are wherever you go and whoever you’re with – it’s about being comfortable in your own skin because deep down inside YOU KNOW that YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH.
Lacking Confidence
When people lack confidence, they become insecure, feel unworthy and become fearful. This fear is very destructive because it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy – the more you believe that something bad will happen i.e. that someone won’t like you, that you’re not good enough etc.. the more likely it is to happen because you’re sending out the message and in some cases projecting it onto other people. So how can we overcome these feelings of insecurity?
The secret is mindfulness – being present, staying in the moment, and being aware of what you are feeling without judging yourself or your emotions. The more mindful you become the less power these feelings have over you. It’s like putting yourself in a glass box – which is your mind – and throwing away the key. When you make this choice there comes a sense of freedom because you no longer feel like you are at the mercy of your fears and you can put your most confident foot forwards.
Conclusion
Confidence can be the line between failure and success and the best part is that being confidence can be taught and is a learned skill. If you’re looking for support with your confidence, our confidence coaches can support, motivate and help you with building your confidence.