The Superpower Of Confidence

Confidence is one of the most powerful tools humans possess. It is the superpower that allows you to move mountains. There are two essential factors to consider here. First, without self-confidence, you will not be able to grow or achieve new milestones. Second, confidence is a unique ability that gives you the power to influence people to believe anything you say and do things that you want.

Humans are biologically programmed to trust and respond positively to confident people. We have a specific region in our brain that is programmed to respond only to confident people. Leaders and politicians who exude the most confidence are the ones who successfully influence millions into believing whatever it is they want them to believe.

Confidence is the superpower that has allowed humans to believe they can do the unthinkable. We would never have reached the moon or a distant planet without confidence. Confidence is the only mental attribute that can enhance physical capabilities like power, strength, and speed. When you are confident, you perform at a higher level than when you don't hold your abilities in high regard.

Our degree of confidence is like a bell curve. Some people consistently operate with low self-confidence, while some exude high confidence in everything they do. Most people are somewhere in the middle. A lower level of confidence means you are more likely to focus on the possibility of failing at something rather than being optimistic about succeeding in an endeavor. Henry Ford's famous quote, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right," accurately portrays the superpower of confidence.

Confidence is not static; it stems from neurons that can be trained to adapt, change and improve. If you have high hopes and dreams about what you would like to accomplish in your life, you need to move further to the right along your confidence bell curve. This simple move will make the hard job of achieving extraordinary goals easier.

There are many ways to improve your self-confidence. An online search on the topic will yield thousands of tips on how you can improve your confidence. But in my experience working with some of the most exceptional people in the world, the four actions listed below can teach you to increase confidence permanently to a level that allows you to achieve any goal you set for yourself.

1. Getting into the habit of achieving small goals:

Nothing boosts confidence like personal experiences of success. Establish small goals that are slightly beyond your current ability. Then push yourself and apply the effort and persistence to achieve them. This push to reach a new milestone will get you out of your comfort zone, and because the goals you set are not too lofty, you will find that you can stretch and achieve them. Every time you reach a new milestone, you boost your confidence because you have done something that you haven't done before.

Building confidence isn't about achieving all your goals at once. Instead, build a ladder and make incremental improvements. Each new level will give you the confidence to go even further. And when you look back and add up all the slight advances you have made, you realize that you have come a long way. Your brain learns confidence from the knowledge that you can make significant progress, even if it is one small step at a time.

2. Surround yourself with high achievers:

Being around high achievers significantly influences your confidence. As you spend more time with high achievers in your field, you learn that they are not too different from you, and you genuinely believe that you too can achieve what they have achieved. Of course, it will not be easy, but the belief that you can achieve something significant is a good start.

As you interact with high achievers, you feel that "if they can do it, so can I." I have come across many Olympians who started to perform at a higher level when they saw people they considered "peers" doing well and shattering boundaries. They started asking themselves if they could do it, why can't I. And the moment you think you are capable of reaching the same heights, your confidence gets a boost.

3. Look for specific advice, not general cliches:

Parents, leaders, and coaches are always around to say encouraging words. They often use phrases like "you can do this" or "you've got this." And while these statements are well-intentioned, they are not very helpful. These words don't do anything to impact performance or confidence. If you want to increase your confidence in completing a task successfully, you are better off looking for specific nuggets of advice that can make a difference. For example, right before a big race, a runner will find the words "stay tall" more valuable than "you've got this." Or when a golfer getting ready to make a crucial putt hears "it's uphill; get the ball to the hole," it is real advice that boosts confidence in their action. If you are about to give a big presentation, hearing the words "be authentic" will give you more confidence than "you'll be great."

When you hear something specific, you are more likely to act on that information confidently. Just that extra dose of confidence will lead to success. And success breeds success; as you experience wins, your confidence in your abilities increases. The only caveat here is that the advice needs to come from a source that you trust and consider knowledgeable.

4. Focus on the process and not the results:

You never feel unconfident about going through your process. Your confidence suffers when you believe you can't achieve a specific outcome. So rather than focusing on results, it helps to focus on the steps you need to take to get there, the process. If you want to permanently increase your confidence, you need to learn to focus on your process and become outcomes-agniostic.

The next time you are in a situation where you need to execute a difficult task, stop thinking about the results and think only about your process or the steps you need to take to complete it. As you learn to focus on the process, the outcomes will take care of themselves.

Confidence is essential:

Confidence is a state of mind that comes from your belief in what you can achieve. It is an essential skill to develop to live a happy life and attain high levels of achievement. You can increase your confidence with practice, training, knowledge, and learning from others. And when you do so, the superpower you develop can help you shatter any boundary.