WEEKLY FOCUS

Solution Focused Individual Achiever

Very often the difference between success and failure can be down to that ten letter word… Confidence! Be it tackling something for the very first time, or facing something that mentally challenges you…Any situation that sets the chatter of “self-talk” running wild in your mind.

Confidence can be built and confidence can be shot. We often hear these expressions used about sportspeople.
Which category do you think Theresa May sits in right now? Recent events have come to undermine her confidence, she will need to rebuild and having a support network helps.
One point that should always be remembered is that very few situations we face are never anything like as bad as we allow our minds to picture. Fast-forward and often our reflection could be…”I actually quite enjoyed it’ or ‘it was not as bad as I expected”…Our mind will create an image of whatever we want…Success or failure. We allow our thinking to become so extreme that this becomes completely at odds with reality.

During our working week, we will achieve a lot. On occasion, we will make a small but insignificant mistake- yet we fail to recognise our many successes but dwell on an insignificant mistake. There are many ways that you can build confidence and in a sustainable manner,  but certain actions do help.

  1. Whenever you tackle anything new, what is the worst that could happen? -Usually little and rarely evident to others
  2. On occasions that you tackle something that may appear daunting, take a few minutes out each day. Find a quiet place, close your eyes and relax your breathing. Picture the undoubted success of the event in question. Picture your actions and take a mental snapshot
  3. Develop a mantra…An affirmation. A number of short statements that complement the mental picture. The thinking must be in the present tense. You are in the moment – you are achieving. Repeat twice daily and after 28 days, your thinking (belief), becomes reality.
  4. Read articles and books about successful people, those that truly inspire you. Think of ways that you can learn from them, they will also have had self-doubts.
  5. Surround yourself with positive people…Don’t allow negativity to spoil your thinking!

Confidence is a work in progress, start working on the actions each day, and you can grow your own levels of self-confidence.

Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage and confidence in the doing
Theodore Roosevelt.