Does the thought of speaking in front of others or being called on in a group make you break out in a cold sweat and leave you speechless? If so, this is a true sign that you lack confidence–a critical skill to building your success. When asked to speak, present, or pitch to a client, that is the time to show up with a strong inner self that highlights your strengths and assets. It is absolutely not the time to stumble over words, be uncertain of what to say, or start looking like you might pass out. If this happens to you, it is time for you to learn the art of having more confidence and showing up, showcasing your full potential.
Practice Makes Perfect
It is imperative that you practice, practice, practice becoming a subject matter expert. Why does this matter? Because it is the trick to being ready for whatever gets thrown your way. If you have been called out in meetings before and found yourself inadequately prepared, then you know that feeling of panic that can occur when you do not have answers. One way to fix this problem is to list everything that you stumbled over in the past and create a list of effective ways to handle those moments in the future. If not, then all you are left with is hoping you will not be asked the same questions again or that maybe you will not get called out on something you do not know–and that is no way to build confidence. The path to confidence lies in practicing for tough questions and preparing for anything that has caught you off guard in the past. When you go into a situation prepared, it will inevitably boost your confidence level.
Fake It ‘Till You Make It
Fake it ‘till you make it is a concept that can tend to be misunderstood. This does not mean that you walk around pretending to know things or believe in things you have no clue about. Fake it ‘till you make it actually means that you find something you truly do understand and believe in, and you use it as your confidence hook. For instance, if you see yourself as a good person or a trustworthy person, build your confidence from that area. When you feel insecure, remind yourself of who you are and what you are good at, and remind yourself that you have a great deal to be confident about. This will allow your brain to reinforce the positive areas and diminish the negative thoughts that can cause you to lose focus. Remind yourself of your past achievements and let your past successes fuel your energy–keep telling yourself that if you could do that, then you can do this! By creating a positive narrative in your mind, you learn to reinforce confidence in your mindset.
Discover Your Super Skill
You must know your Super skill and how to use it to build your confidence and your career. If you are not sure of your Super Skill or how to use it to experience success, you absolutely need to check out the program that I just launched called–Rocket Launch Your Career. I designed this specifically for you to discover your Super Skill, learn to talk about yourself with confidence, and know when you walk into a room what the people there want to hear from you. Once you understand what people are thinking and what they are looking for, it allows you to prepare yourself in a completely different way, which builds your confidence exponentially. When you take the guesswork out of what others expect from you, it allows you to anticipate their questions and tackle any situation with the confidence you need to experience success.
At the Growth Architect, we want to help you find strategies that will help you build your confidence and be prepared for any situation. That’s what we do! If you enjoyed this article, check out my video on building confidence.
Let’s Grow!
Beate Chelette is The Growth Architect & Founder of The Women’s Code, a training company specialized in providing companies an ROI on Balanced Leadership. She has been named one of 50 must-follow women entrepreneurs by the Huffington Post. A first-generation immigrant who found herself $135,000 in debt as a single parent, she bootstrapped her passion for photography into a highly successful global business and eventually sold it to Bill Gates in a multimillion-dollar deal.
Beate works with business leaders and supports organizations by developing and providing training the training, tools, and expertise to create and maintain a balanced, equal, and inclusive work environment that fosters creativity, employee engagement, and corporate growth.
Recent clients include Merck, Women’s Legislative Caucus of California, Cal State University Dominguez Hills, Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), NFTE, CreativeLive, the Association of Corporate Growth, and TracyLocke.
Beate is the author of the #1 International Amazon Bestseller “Happy Woman Happy World – How to Go From Overwhelmed to Awesome” a book that corporate trainer and best-selling author Brian Tracy calls “a handbook for every woman who wants health, success and a fulfilling career.
To book Beate to speak or train please connect here. Your Time Is Valuable!
