12 Practical Ways to Boost Your Confidence

Confidence isn’t something that you have or you don’t, but rather something that you have in some situations and lack in others. Some days you feel confidence surge and other days it’s like your confidence has been drained right out of you! It comes and goes!

When you are feeling confident, everything is easier! There’s an ease to your work, and you lead with boldness. You are more creative and likely to perform at your best. Even risks feel, well, less risky!

But what is it that causes your confidence to increase or suddenly wane? It boils down to what you believe; what you think you are capable of and that’s really good news because you get to take charge of your thoughts!

The more you prove to yourself that you have what it takes the more your confidence builds.

Of course, the converse is also true. When you shy away from taking on challenges and or avoid opportunities for growth you reinforce the belief that you don’t have what it takes!

What does a boost in your confidence look like? It’s you more consistently being in that “fully you” confident place!

Leaders & Confidence

Leading successfully demands confidence, and that’s true whether you are leading many or you are simply leading you.

Because people often take their cues from the one in charge, it helps if that person operates in a kind and confident manner. If they are prone to wavering or hesitating, it’s more difficult to trust their decisions and follow.

When a leader is confident, it creates an atmosphere of safety that encourages creativity and innovation to flourish. Ideas are welcome! They communicate more clearly, empower others, and have a contagious passion for what they do.

Being a confident leader isn’t about appearing strong, knowing it all, or ordering everyone around. That’s probably an insecure leader who is overcompensating.

Arrogance, the inability to listen, consider the ideas of others, and micromanaging are indicators that a leader lacks confidence.

The good news – it’s possible to increase your confidence whether you oversee yourself as an entrepreneur, solopreneur, or coach. Or if you lead vast numbers of people as a high-level executive.

Here are a dozen ways for you to boost your confidence. While the list is lengthy, I encourage you to pick one or maybe two items to focus on initially. Attempting too many changes all at once or trying to focus on numerous growth areas simultaneously dilutes your efforts and make failing more likely and that will NOT boost your confidence!

Perhaps you choose one to focus on each month – imagine what a truly confident leader you will be a year from now! Now that’s something to get excited about!

1. Connect With the Source of Confidence

Self-confidence – it’s all the rage, but true confidence comes straight from God! That’s “God-Confidence” – the confidence that comes when you know you’re abundantly loved by Him. When you know deep down that the One who is All-Powerful, All-Knowing has you in the palm of His hand!

It’s life-changing to know God and discover His character and the depth of His love. Embracing that He knows you intimately and cares about you is truly a confidence builder! That’s why you spending regular time in His presence and seeking His wisdom and help is critical. The more you see yourself as He sees you, imperfect yet wholly loved, the more it changes you from the inside out.

Then you are able to confidently settle into your true identity.

Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. I Corinthians 10:12 (MSG)

2. Invest in Growing

Get intentional about growing your leadership skills. Read books, attend conferences, take classes, or spend time with leaders you respect – whatever it takes to expand your understanding of leadership.

Need a few suggestions? Here are four books to consider:

• • • Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman
    • The Power of Positive Leadership by Jon Gordon
    • Leadership Beyond Reason by John Townsend
    • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

3. Develop Your Self-Awareness

Without self-awareness, you will repeat the same mistakes, and those mistakes frequently lead to even bigger mistakes that may prove costly.

This past week I heard about a leader of a multi-million-dollar company who believed himself to be on fantastic terms with his clients. Unfortunately, he was very confused, and his clients were actively looking for ways to avoid working with him. Ouch! He clearly lacked self-awareness and without that awareness, there’s little hope of fixing the relationships leading to a significant dent in his company’s future revenue.

There are a variety of ways to gain self-awareness including identifying your strengths, your values, your personality (DISC), or thinking preferences (HBDI) for starters.

You may prefer journaling to help you connect to how you are feeling or arranging a 360 assessment to help you understand how others see you.

Another option is to partner with a coach. They are trained to invite you to see yourself and the situations you encounter from other perspectives. They will encourage you to dig deeper and in think in ways you might not do on your own, but that would be invaluable.

4. Assist Others

Being confident is not about being the best. It’s about helping others be their best! Start actively looking for ways to help others succeed.

5. Celebrate!

When feeling confident, you are more likely to notice and celebrate the milestones and accomplishments of others. There’s no threat – just a happy desire to cheer others on!

What if the reverse is true? What if making an effort to find reasons to celebrate others actually positively impacted your confidence? Getting in the habit of celebrating others is a wonderful way to take your focus off yourself, which truly erodes your confidence, and intentionally put your attention on elsewhere!

As you hunt and then celebrate, be sure to include the specifics around what was done well. That makes it easier for people to repeat what worked well and receive your words as truth!

6. Stand for Something

Needing to be liked is a dangerous way to live or to lead! Flex on what doesn’t really matter and stand firm when it comes to your beliefs, your values, and your character.

Operating in a “no compromise” sort of way means developing a thick skin, refusing to worry, and definitely not taking things personally. It takes practice, but as you practice you are exercising your confidence muscle.

7. Be Authentic

Thank heavens being a leader doesn’t mean you have to be perfect, have it all together, or know the most, because no one would qualify!

Those you lead will appreciate you more if you are authentic, approachable, and appropriately vulnerable. When you acknowledge your mistakes and share past failures, it gives others permission try.

8. Stand Up and Smile

It seems like a little thing, but dressing the part, standing up tall, and smiling – those wee efforts naturally and significantly boost your confidence!

9. Ask for Feedback

Did you know that the people around you and those you lead and have invaluable information for you? Yes! Bits of information that they wish you knew about the way you lead and/or do life that would be beneficial if you knew.

Without permission and a safe place to share, you will remain in the dark. That means you won’t know how to improve.

Stop guessing what those around you would like you to do differently, and start inviting their feedback.

10. Ask for Help

Surprise! As the leader, it’s OK to ask for help and invite others to share their ideas. This is yet another terrific opportunity to enlist the help of a coach!

11. Make Bold Decisions

It’s hard to embrace the decisions of someone who is unsure. Practice making bold decisions and remember, it’s OK to make mistakes – especially if you learn from them!

12. Tame Your Fear Monster

Last, but certainly not least, come face-to-face with your Fear Monster and recognize the role it’s playing in limiting your confidence. That negative inner dialogue and self-talk munch away at your confidence like nobody’s business!

Imagine yourself bold and confident. Not arrogant, but a secure, humble, and courageous leader. What difference would that make? What would that feel like? How would it change the way you do what you do? What impact it would have personally and professionally for you?

In your quest for greater confidence, what’s your next step?