3 Common Misconceptions About Self Confidence

A consistent finding in psychological research is a direct correlation between self-confidence and success. Confidence is a major differentiating factor between elite and non-elite performers.
To develop your self confidence it is important to explore how you think and how your mind works.  A useful place to start will be to look at some of the misconceptions or limiting beliefs that people have about confidence.

Misconception Number 1: Either you are confident person or you are not.

Some people believe that confidence is something that comes naturally to some people and not to others.  Confidence is sometimes perceived to be in someway an inherited trait.  This is incorrect.  High levels of self-confidence do not occur randomly.  Self-confidence is the result of thinking positively and constructively on an on-going basis.

People who develop high levels of self-confidence retain the positive benefits from successful experiences and de-emphasise their less successful experiences.  Confidence is gained in exactly the same way as other skills – through practice and repetition of the desired skill.

Misconception Number Two: Confident people are arrogant. 

Whilst we may all be familiar with confident individuals who are outspoken and brash, it is crucial to realise that you can be confident without being conceited or arrogant.  It could be suggested that those who are truly confident would have no need to demonstrate it with brash or arrogant behaviour.

Misconception Number Three: Making mistakes/losing damages confidence.   The truth is that we are only human, and part of being human is making mistakes from time to time!  Some people respond to mistakes by weakening their confidence.  Other people continue to build their confidence despite any failures.  They choose to seek the learning from any mistake and use it to get improvements in their performance.

The truth of the matter is that confidence is the result of how you think, what you choose to focus upon, and how you choose to respond to the events that occur in your life.  The truth is also that confidence can be developed by anyone.

Simon Hazeldine
Founder
Increasing Life

Dedicated to Your Health, Wealth, Success, Happiness and Freedom