Building and maintaining confidence in yourself is not an easy task. It takes hard work, patience, trial and error, but most of all heart. You have to believe in the value of what you are offering to be confident that you are benefitting others.
At times this means that others will question your methods and reasoning. Here are three steps that I have found helpful in defeating the self-doubt beast.
Educate yourself
Always be learning. Take advantage of all of the resources around you. Read, listen to podcasts, listen to a variety of news sources. Do what you can to stay informed and to be well rounded. Consider your sources. Make sure they are reliable, and challenge them on a regular basis.
Take a look at what you feel that you have “mastered,” and break it down at least once a year. Can anything be improved? Unpacking an old presentation and adding fresh, relevant content should be a regular part of your routine. Keep an ongoing list of books and podcasts you want to get to.
Make sure to add things that are not business-related as well. Some of my biggest “aha” moments have come from learning about something completely unrelated to business, but it made an impact on how I choose to live life.
Seek out mentors, and create a tribe of respected peers
No one is in this alone. One way to beat self-doubt is to actually be honest and open and ask for help from a mentor or trusted group of peers. Share what you are doing with people you trust, and listen to their opinions.
Take your emotions out of it, and accept constructive feedback. Maybe the reason you are doubting yourself is that you know there is a better way, but your pride is preventing you from admitting you are wrong. If you have a strong independent personality, this is especially important. New perspectives can offer so much relief to your anxiety. You just have to be willing to open that door.
Pump up the volume
Music is one of the greatest pleasures we get to experience in our lifetimes. How lucky are we to live in a world that offers vibrant and colorful offerings for everyone’s personal preference? There have been numerous studies suggesting that creating a playlist of uplifting music can boost confidence, reduce anxiety and improve your mood.
So I say when in doubt, rock out! Make a go-to playlist. If music isn’t your cup of tea, then try a few motivational podcasts. Sometimes watching motivational channels or listening to a gifted speaker can give you the encouragement you need to move forward.
When in doubt, rock out!
The self-doubt beast is not easy to tame. This heavy, often hairy, monster can rear its head at the most inconvenient times. If the above three methods do not work, I encourage you to try one last thing: humor.
Usually, what is intimidating you is not as serious as you are making it out to be. Embrace the fact that you are human and it’s OK to err now and then. Be kind to yourself, and watch that beast evaporate into oblivion. Lean into the fear — because that is how you know you are pushing yourself out of the comfort zone and into uncharted territory.
By day, Rachael Hite helps agents develop their business. By night, she’s tweeting and blogging. Feel free to tweet her @rachaelhite
