Boosting Confidence at a Career Crossroads: Step Up or Step Out?

Understanding confidence

Confidence is vital, and those who lack confidence at work tend to play it safe and find it difficult to handle change.

I know my own confidence has waxed and waned over the years, making some things in my career effortless and then deserting me in my hour of need.

Looking back, there were times when I played it safe in my career due to a lack of confidence.

But what is confidence anyway?

Confidence is often described as feeling good about what we are about to do or feeling a level of certainty.

So, confidence is a feeling, not something you have or don't have. It’s also not a skill.

To add to the confusion, sometimes, people who seem confident on the outside don't feel confident on the inside.

Growing Confidence

Let’s look at some practical steps to grow your confidence.

I will give you 4 ways to increase and sustain your long-term confidence in your career and life.

The first thing to do is to get your values clear.

Values are those things most important to you and play a significant role in developing confidence.

They inspire and motivate us to do what we need and sustain us on the journey.

Conversely, if you are unclear on your values, you are much more likely to be influenced by other factors, such as the views of others or an overfocus on superficial goals.

Make a list of your values; if you are unsure how to do that, I explain how here.

This leads to the next important thing regarding confidence, which relates to your skills.

Develop Relevant Skills

Once you are clear on your values, you can develop the skills you need to deepen and improve your performance.

Whilst confidence isn't a skill, if you don't have adequate skills to do the things you want to do, it can be difficult to feel confident.

Conversely, when you are skilled in a particular area, you are likely to appear (and feel) confident.

So, if you lack confidence because of a skills gap, this is an area you should focus on.

For example, interview, presentation, negotiation, and communication skills are all learnable.

Are there any relevant webinars or events you could attend to develop your skills? Is there a course you could take?

Or perhaps you could find a mentor.                    

The impact of fear

Let’s now talk about the F word.

Fear can prevent you from feeling confident and can mask your feelings of confidence.

Even if you're competent, skilled, and knowledgeable, being afraid can rob you of confidence.

And yet, fear is a normal part of our psychological behaviour.

Fear showing up is nothing more than an evolutionary response to uncertainty.

It's essential, therefore, to accept and recognise fear and try to normalise it.

If we accept that fear showing up is normal and don't make it something to worry about, our fear naturally disappears, and our confidence re-emerges.

So, this is vital to know, as is the fact that, and this is my final thing you need to know,

The actions of confidence come first; the feelings of confidence come later.

It's important to understand that not feeling confident is expected, particularly in unfamiliar situations.

Most people say, "When I feel more confident, I'll take action".

But confidence is not the starting point. Confidence increases with experience.

Your confidence will build when you act, pushing through the resistance, anxiety, and fear of what lies ahead.

Ultimately, confidence comes in the doing.

Try something new and do it more than once.

Act, reflect, modify and do it again.

Confidence comes from making an attempt, whether you win or lose.

Conclusion

Confidence is essential for a successful and satisfying career.

The good news is that you can grow your own confidence.

You would do this by:

-              Getting clear on your Values

-              Developing your skills

-              Letting go of your fears, and

-              Taking action

Confidence doesn't come from having all the answers; it comes from being open to all the questions and daring to believe that you are capable of finding the solutions.

Call to Action

Ready to boost your career confidence?

Get started with these 4 ways to grow and sustain your long-term confidence.

 Also, remember that you don't have to navigate this journey alone—a career coach can provide invaluable support and guidance.

Book a free Discovery Call with me today, and let's work together to unlock your full career potential.Title