Monday Motivation: 8.12.24

Confidence is self-trust.

Confidence is the belief in your ability to "figure it out" in any given circumstance. It’s not about knowing exactly how the outcome will happen but trusting that the outcome will happen because you control the inputs.

Whether it’s a big presentation, a critical client call, a conversation with a partner, or taking on a new physical challenge, you must first trust that you will lead the situation to a positive outcome.

Here are three ways to build confidence in any situation:

  1. Claim the good outcome aloud. Before I go into a big moment, I say aloud what the good outcome will be. I affirm to myself that the result will happen. I also affirm that if the result doesn’t happen immediately, it will happen later when the time is right. I start each big moment with optimism because pessimism is only useful for planning, not performing.
  2. Lower the stakes internally. It’s not a big presentation with executives; it’s a conversation with partners to solve a problem. It’s not a race in front of thousands of people; it’s a chance to test how far I’ve come with my training. Lowering the stakes keeps you from allowing the moment to become bigger than you. Doing this will help you focus on the task, not the external noise around you.
  3. Prepare like it’s the game. The best way to build confidence is through repetition. You learn to trust yourself when you see that you’ve done it several times before. Don’t let the big moment be the first time you do something. Sometimes that isn't possible, but most times it is. Prepare, prepare, prepare—and then trust yourself in the moment.

By claiming your confidence aloud, lowering the stakes, and preparing diligently, you can navigate through any situation with confidence.

Trust yourself. Conquer the world.

✌🏽. ❤️. 📈 . 🤲🏾