4 Steps To Becoming More Confident Than You Are Now

A truth about confidence: It comes and goes… but there is something better that can serve you well – your purpose…  

Would it surprise you to know that no matter how competent, intelligent, and experienced a woman might be, the possession of her confidence in not always within her grasp? Let’s look at someone who struggled with this.

Sarah’s competence in her field was way above average. Her goal was to make partner in the not too distant future. To meet her and talk with her you would have no doubt that she knew her “stuff.” Yet, as a woman, she found that people in her office considered men the go-experts. She could see that no matter how hard she worked or how diligently she’d prepare for a meeting, her confidence was not what it should be. And so we went to work to see what impact we could have. Interestingly, the end result was that she had her best year ever – Sarah won an account that everyone thought was all but lost. Here is how she accomplished this:

She took her eye off of the idea of having more confidence and began to answer this question: Why do you do what you do? This is a really important question to answer for yourself; it can lead you to understand the greater meaning in what you do… once you find the exact the words for yourself you will have identified a sense of purpose that will energize and empower you – personally and professionally. 

She found the words that hit the mark: Although she struggled to find them, Sarah kept trying. Finally she found the words that captured the essence and meaning of her work. 

She kept them present for herself: Something different becomes possible when you have found, as she did, the essence of why the work that you do matters. She began to keep those words near her. She wrote them onto a card, seeing them and feeling them each day. Little by little they began to enhance her thinking and her behavior. She found that: she spoke differently. She listened differently. She connected differently with people. This had a positive impact on her results.

She stepped into a challenge that presented itself: You will find that an opportunity arises that tests what you have been working on. In Sarah’s case it required her to compete for a new client against “one of the best” in her field. Here is what happened: The morning of the appointment, a severe snowstorm caused her flight to be cancelled. She was unable to get to the meeting. Later that day she heard through the grapevine that the other competitor had “hit it out of the park.” In the past this would have intimidated her. Yet, on the day of her rescheduled appointment she found herself feeling very calm and certain. She could feel the power of her purpose as she connected with the client. She spoke. She listened. And at the end of the meeting she was given the assignment. 

If you decide to explore the deeper meaning and purpose of your work you will find that “the game” will change for you, as it did for Sarah. A sense of purpose is a key to your ability to evolve. Allowing that to enhance and empower you, you could quite possibly have your best year ever!

 

 

 

 

Jane Firth, M.Sc., career coach and founder and President of Firth Leadership Partners