Monday, May 18, 2009

Asset Management: Caring for Your Confidence

You probably have no idea how valuable is your confidence in yourself. Most of us don't. Strengthening your confidence is a major part of what I teach in Presentation Wow workshops.

Confidence means you take more calculated risks, like striking up a conversation with a stranger at Starbucks. Confidence naturally correlates positively to having more rich experiences. Self confidence is truly like having money in the bank. Ask your friendly Human Resources professional if you don't believe me.

FACT! Confident people ace job interviews and other interpersonal encounters. 

Here are a few thoughts on this asset I want to share with you.

1. Just like the stock market, confidence can be up one minute and down the next. Some people's confidence is more volatile than others'. The first step to having more confidence more of the time, is to realize that it's a source of strength for  you. Obviously you have more control over your confidence than you do over some of your other assets, like your 401K, to name one example.

2. Confidence in yourself is not arrogance or selfishness. Actually, arrogance is a major sign of a lack of confidence, same with selfishness. 

3. Here is what authentic confidence clearly looks like:

- Not dependent on getting approval from others.

- Working in a relaxed manner.

- Able to make decisions quickly.

- Not paralyzed by fear.

- Realize that life has its ups and downs, and neither lasts forever.

The value of your own confidence is amazing. Don't forget to take care of it.