How to build confidence in your career for long lasting success.  Who wouldn’t want to know the confidence formula! Confidence is a state of mind that allows us to be our best selves in any situation. It enables us to take risks, step outside our comfort zones, and achieve goals that would have seemed impossible before. We all have confidence within ourselves; it’s up to you how much of it you use! In this article, we’ll explore why confidence is such an important aspect of success and how you can build more confidence into your life.

Building confidence and to find success

Confidence is a learned skill. You can build your confidence by practicing it, just like you would any other skill. If you want to get better at playing basketball, for example, you’ll need to practice shooting hoops until it becomes second nature. The same goes for building confidence: if you work on it consistently over time (and especially if you are intentional). Then your confidence will improve dramatically!

I know this to be absolutely true because in my early life, I lacked confidence in myself. Looking back, I realize I felt this way since I was a kid. My catastrophic thinking led to it getting worse in my teens. I wanted it so badly, that I read books, observed people who I respected, and worked on it.

If we take a closer look at how this works in real life. You’ll see that focusing on our strengths rather than our weaknesses is key when trying to improve as individuals and teams alike. In fact, research shows that most people spend more time trying hard, not because they want success, but because they’re worried about failure! This means they’re focusing on their weaknesses instead of working on improving their strengths.  This makes sense because it’s easier to fix what needs fixing than expand upon something already great!

We all have the confidence we need to succeed

You can learn to build confidence. And I’m so grateful this is true!

Confidence is not a fixed trait, it’s a skill that can be learned and practiced. And just like any other skill, the more you practice it the better you get at it! Confidence isn’t just about your own self-worth; it also involves treating others with respect and kindness as well as believing in yourself when times are tough.

Confidence is a learned skill – practice makes better

Did you know that confidence is a learned skill? It’s true! Confidence isn’t necessarily something you are born with. It’s something you learn. Some people are naturally more confident than others. Maybe your natural tendency is not to be very confident in yourself. This does not mean that all is lost though.

Confidence is like any other skill or ability. Confidence requires practice and repetition before it becomes second nature. And once you’ve mastered the art of being confident in yourself and your abilities (and know how to apply those skills), watch your life change!

Focus on your strengths to build confidence in your career

You should focus on your strengths and work on building on them instead of your weaknesses. Hiring managers are looking for employees with your strengths. You can’t be great at everything, so don’t worry about what you don’t do well. Learn from your weaknesses, but don’t let them hold you back from improving in other areas.

If there are areas in which you feel like there’s a gap between where you are and where you want to be professionally, it’s okay–and even expected!  Just be sure to seek help. Whether from mentors or peers.  Take a course. Attend a seminar. 

It’s also important not to compare yourself with others. Everyone has different talents and abilities. Finally, make sure that you have a plan to  improve on weaknesses that you now need. When working towards intentions (or goals), track progress and challenges to maintain momentum.

Make a list of your accomplishments, big and small

You can also create your own list of accomplishments, big and small. Make a list of all the things that you have done well over the course of your career. This will help you remember what skills and talents you have developed, as well as provide inspiration for future goals.

Set some achievable targets for yourself (that way you’ll feel good about achieving them) and keep adding to it as time goes on. This list is important because you will use it as motivation when things get tough during your journey towards building confidence at work.

Outline what you want 

Outline what you want in life and work towards it one step at a time.

• Write down your intentions (see why I now set intentions here) or goals. What do you want out of life? What are your long-term career intentions/goals? For example, “I want a promotion to the vice president in 2024”. And “I will complete Product Manager (PMHQ) certification.” 
  
• What are your short term career intentions/goals? Here is an example: “Hire and train two new product managers in the next six months.”
  
• For personal life intentions/goals? “I need to take the MBTI personality test next month.”  “I will attend church weekly.” “I will take a vacation quarterly.”
  
• I will write down one thing, and speak up during the next staff meeting.
  
• Write them down so they’re clear in your mind, then break them down into smaller chunks that are easier to achieve. Create realistic plans for achieving those steps. 

Build relationships with those who inspire you 

You need to find people who are willing to help you as you build confidence. The best way to do this is by creating relationships with those who inspire you, challenge you, and share their knowledge with you.

The more relationships that you have in your life, the better off your career will be. In fact, research shows that having good friends can make us happier! This goes back to what we talked about earlier. The confidence formula is not just about how confident or optimistic you feel about your career. But also includes your overall happiness level and satisfaction with life (your “well-being”).

Look at the bigger picture to build confidence

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when they’re trying to build confidence is getting stuck on the small details. They have the wrong mindset. They worry about what other people think, or they get distracted by other people’s opinions. Or they obsess over the fact that they don’t have as much experience as someone else.

But here’s the thing: focusing on these things will only lead you down an endless rabbit hole of self-doubt and anxiety. Instead of worrying about how you compare to others in your field or whether your work is good enough. Focus on what YOU can control!

Instead of worrying about all these things that are out of our control. Or even worse, giving up because we think we’ve failed before even giving ourselves a chance. Take some time each day for reflection and meditation. So that when opportunities arise later on down the line (and they always do), we’ll be ready for them!

You are good enough right now!

The first step to building confidence is accepting that you are good enough. You might be thinking “I’m not smart enough.” “I’m not strong enough.”  “I’m not beautiful enough.”

You have everything it takes to succeed at your career. You are smart, strong, beautiful and important. And it’s those qualities that will help propel you forward in life!

So, what is the takeaway? My intention was to help you understand how confidence works and how you can develop it in your own life. We’ve covered a lot of ground, but hopefully it will give you some new tools for building up that confidence as you move forward to success!

Curated Reads: Essential Books to Add to Your Personal Library 

1. Melaninated Magic: 180 Affirmations to Nurture Your Soul and Unleash Your Black Girl Joy by Twanna Carter, PhD
2. I’m Not Yelling: A Black Woman’s Guide to Navigating the Workplace (Successful Black Business Women), Elizabeth Leiba
3. Stop Overthinking: 23 Techniques to Relieve Stress, Stop Negative Spirals, Declutter Your Mind, and Focus on the Present (The Path to Calm) by Nick Trenton
4. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
5. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
6. High-Functioning Anxiety: A 5-Step Guide to Calming the Inner Panic and Thriving by Dr. Lalitaa Suglani
7. “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain.
8. Unleash your career potential with our free library of resources. Access our free Career Resource Library today and start your journey to a more fulfilling career.
9. Taming Your Gremlin: A Surprisingly Simple Method for Getting Out of Your Own Way by Rick Carson
10. The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know by Katty Kay & Claire Shipman
11. Stop & Shift: The Mindset Reset that Changes Everything by Karen Allen
12. Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms by Shellye Archambeau

Twanna Carter, PhD, ICF/PCC, Career Coach, NGH Certified Hypnotist, is a renowned expert in the field of career coaching and the author of the eBook, “Mindful Leadership: Practices for Women Executives.” With years of experience as a Professional Certified Coach and a background in career satisfaction, Dr. Carter has dedicated her career to empowering women executives to become more effective, compassionate, and mindful leaders. As an NGH Certified Hypnotist, she combines cutting-edge leadership strategies with proven mindfulness techniques to help clients unlock their full potential and create a lasting impact on their organizations.