It has been said that confidence is an attractive quality in a person. Have you ever wondered how some people are so confident? Do you wish you were more confident when it comes to your education or your career development? Confidence is not a quality you are born with, but rather a skill that you can develop. In this Forbes article, "15 Ways to Increase Your Confidence Today," contributor William Arruda explains ways to help you develop your confidence.
Here are 5 noteworthy suggestions from the article that you can begin to use to increase your confidence:
- Listen – “When you truly listen, three things can happen. You learn something, you build stronger relationships and you increase your productivity,” Arruda writes. Avoid being a person who does too much talking and not enough listening. A confident person is one who learns from hearing others rather than hearing themselves speak.
- Avoid the Lone Ranger Syndrome – “Being able to ask for help is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength,” explains Arruda. A confident person is not afraid to ask for help and doing so demonstrates that you are confident in knowing when you need help.
- Ditch Debbie Downer – Arruda points out that “being around negative people can bring you down, and those negative attitudes and beliefs can rub off.” Negativity is contagious and if you surround yourself with negative individuals you will start adopting attitudes that can and will hurt your confidence.
- Track and acknowledge the wins – “Keep a journal of wins to document your feats big and small – and review them regularly,” suggests Arruda. Reminding yourself of your victories (no matter how small they may be) is a good way to build your confidence.
- Be a lifelong learner – A key reminder Arruda makes in his article is that “confidence comes from being on top of what’s happening and the curiosity of wanting to know what else is out there.” Your confidence will grow when you are staying on top of what is current, and when you do you won’t feel left behind in school, the workplace, or social conversation.