Are you feeling a little low in confidence? If you lack confidence but don’t know how to improve it, the first thing to remember is that you’re not alone. This is something many people struggle with. It’s hard to feel your best at all times, no matter how successful you are. 

But, believing in yourself and your abilities is a crucial part of advancing in your career. Self-confidence means understanding and trusting your own abilities and knowing your worth – regardless of what other people might think! 

Luckily, confidence is something that can be learned. Remember the old saying, “fake it till you make it”? This can actually be applied perfectly here.

Please note:  this post contains affiliate links for which We Mean Career may earn a small commission on your purchase. This will be at no additional cost to you, and we only share products or services that we personally use and love.

To help you get started, here are some steps you can take to build your self-confidence and progress in your career. 

 

1. Appreciate your strengths 

By appreciating your own strengths, you can begin to think yourself into having a positive attitude. Be optimistic and think about all the things you like about yourself. This is key to developing self-confidence, as you begin to put your energy into optimistic thoughts. 

Instead of being hard on yourself, focus on being honest, kind, and helping others as much as you can – and then treat yourself in the same way. Doing this will make you feel better, as you will see that you’re a good person and you deserve to be confident in who you are! 

 

2. Set goals and work to achieve them 

If you want to feel more confident, you should aim to always be working on yourself. Start by thinking about your strengths and weaknesses, then set clear goals to help you boost your skills and learn new things. Then, work consistently to achieve the things you want. 

Your goals don’t need to be huge, to begin with, either. By setting goals you know you can achieve, you will gradually build your self-confidence over time. Take one step at a time and before you know it you will have made huge strides in terms of achievements. 

 

3. Ignore negative self-talk 

Another essential part of building self-confidence is ignoring negative self-talk. This is the little voice in your head that tells you you’re not good enough – and it’s responsible for many of our insecurities. It’s important to silence it as much as possible. 

Remember that your thoughts about yourself shape who you are. You need to become aware of it so you can make sure you’re not sabotaging yourself. Once you control your self-talk, you will feel more free and accept that it’s okay to take risks and get out of your comfort zone. 

 

4. Stop focusing on what others think 

Life is about embracing all the challenges that come along. And, to do this, you need to stop focusing on what others think and do what you want to do. Everyone has imperfections, but if you want to improve your confidence, you need to accept them. 

Once you start ignoring the opinions of others, it becomes a lot easier to focus on making progress, rather than on perfection. This is how you learn and grow, and it’s a must if you want to start believing in yourself! 

 

5. Work on appearing confident 

This might seem like an obvious one, but it’s incredible how much difference it can make. If you want to feel more confident, you need to start with your outward appearance. This means working on your posture, body language, and dressing well. 

Always dress in a presentable way so you feel your best. Then, make sure your body language and posture are open and confident. Push your shoulders back and stand up straight, make eye contact and smile, and avoid appearing defensive or nervous. 

 

6. Take care of yourself 

Self-care is another simple way to rapidly improve your self-confidence. This means taking the time to take care of yourself, no matter how busy you are! 

Taking simple steps can make a big difference. Some of the ways you can implement this include taking part in regular exercise, eating healthily, starting a new hobby, doing things that you enjoy, and using relaxation techniques like meditation or breathing exercises. 

 

7. Become more self-aware 

Being self-aware is vital in building confidence. This means getting to know yourself better and understanding your own thoughts and behavior. This can help you overcome any doubts or negative thoughts and replace them with confident ones. 

You can start to do this by listening to and observing your thoughts. You can write them down if it helps, but you don’t have to. Then, you can start to recognize the limitations you’re putting on yourself and how this is affecting your confidence, both at work and in other areas. 

 

8. Read the right books 

Lastly, reading books on confidence building can really help give some perspective on the subject. One of our favorites is “The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance – What Women Should Know” by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman. 

Of course, it’s impossible to feel amazing all the time. But, with some patience and effort, it does get better. Even if you’re still struggling after reading this article, don’t worry. These things take time and it’s important not to give up. 

Remember, you’re the expert on your own mind and body. You know which areas you need to improve in. Start by investing in yourself and trying to improve one or two aspects at a time. Before you know it, you’ll begin to feel a huge difference!