A lack of confidence changes the way we lead, the way we walk in a room, and the way we show up for life in general. Confidence is so important because it helps you overcome fear and anxiety; builds resilience; improves your performance; and helps you advance your career and live the life you want.
Turn Thoughts into Actions
I had Katty Kay on my podcast, co-author of The Confidence Code, and I loved how Katty talked about the importance of confidence. Katty said, “Confidence is the stuff that turns thoughts into actions.” As a former sports agent and collegiate athlete, I often think about confidence in terms of sports. Like when I had to tweak my tennis serve in college, I didn’t get confident about that new motion until I practiced it. I wasn’t confident until I stood there with a hopper of balls and did it over and over again. Until I put it in play in a match and watched it work. My baseball players didn’t get confident in a new swing, or if they were a pitcher, a new motion until they did it. Until they practiced it and then they did it. Confidence doesn’t come from is thinking about it, from talking about it. It comes from doing it.
Discomfort Strengthens Confidence
People used to always say, “How do these guys or gals execute in all of these pressure cooker moments? How do they stand over a putt and drain it on a Sunday to win a tournament? How do they do that?” It is because they did it a hundred times before. Confidence gets built from getting uncomfortable, right? It’s little moments of stepping into that pit in our stomach. That is where big outcomes are created.
In other words, the little moments of discomfort are what strengthen our confidence. If you want more confidence in your life or in maybe just different areas of your life, keep getting uncomfortable. Confidence doesn’t come from your comfort zone, but rather from stepping into moments of discomfort. We build confidence by doing. So, I would just challenge you: get curious about the areas in your life, the roles in your life, where you could use a little bit more confidence. And then go and do. Feel that pit and STEP IN.
More Resources for Leaders
Looking for more resources to help you and your team lead confidently? I’d like to invite you to join my Leadership Huddles. Each month you’ll join me and a huddle of peers for a specifically chosen relevant personal development topic, safe-space conversations, and sharing of best practices. The huddles are presented live with opportunities for feedback and interaction and over the next few months, we will be digging in deeper about what it means to be resilient and how leaders can help their teams up their game.
More on Confidence
- https://mollyfletcher.com/podcasts/katty-kay-how-to-build-your-confidence/
- https://mollyfletcher.com/confidence-tools/
The Molly Fletcher Company inspires leaders, teams, and organizations to kick-start growth. A keynote speaker and author, Molly draws on her decades of experiences working as a sports agent. The Energized Leader Training helps you and your team align your energy with the important and avoid costly burnout. Game Changer Negotiation Training workshops teach business people the framework for successful negotiating so that you can close more deals while building stronger relationships. Her Leadership Huddles are a monthly group coaching community to guide you towards your full potential. Sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter and subscribe to the Game Changers with Molly Fletcher podcast on iTunes.