We all have had moments in the workplace where we feel low confidence is robbing us of our potential.
Greater confidence leads to more productivity and higher job satisfaction.
You’re more likely to snatch up opportunities that cross your desk and share ideas more openly if you feel good in your skin.
If a lack of confidence is hindering your success at work, don’t worry, I’ve got some good news for you.
There are a few straightforward habits you can adopt that will help you grow your confidence and start feeling more empowered at work.
In this post, I am going to share with you exactly how you can build your confidence at work in 30 days.
Let’s get started!
1. Act how you want to feel
Watch how your managers and executives carry themselves. Analyze everything from their facial expressions and tone of voice down to how they walk across the room.
Act how you want to feel inside, and you will feel that way.
- Stand tall and walk with your chest out and shoulders back.
- Keep your chin up and smile.
- Notice how different you feel when you do this.
Science Daily says that “Sitting up straight in your chair isn’t just good for your posture – it also gives you more confidence in your own thoughts.”
This might be the simplest yet most effective way to quickly get a boost of confidence.
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2. Set mini-goals
Setting daily mini-goals will allow you to feel a swift sense of accomplishment, which will only boost your confidence.
Make sure these goals are achievable so you can be sure you hit them come 5 o’clock.
Some examples of mini-goals are:
- Respond to 3 emails
- Take 5 min to stretch
- Make one sales call
- Write a list of priorities
You are setting yourself up for a more fulfilling workday when you set goals you can achieve.
I know I always feel better when I get to cross a few things off my to-do list.
This simple but effective habit will make you feel more confident in your abilities and work ethic.
3. Eradicate negative self-talk
“I always make this mistake”
“I can never get things right”
“They won’t want to hear my idea – it’s dumb.”
Do any of these negative thoughts sound familiar?
We all have them from time to time (or a lot of the time). They like to creep in especially after we’ve made a mistake.
The bad thing is, once we start down this rabbit hole of self-critiquing, it’s very hard to crawl our way out.
It’s like you’re pulled deeper and deeper into the darkness, and your level of confidence goes down with it.
What you can do:
Start by being self-aware of your emotional state at all times.
When you notice the negative thoughts racing through your mind, pause and immediately replace them with something positive.
One way to do this is by thinking about things you’re grateful for.
It can be something simple, like appreciating the WiFi at your house or the fact that you haven’t been sick for a while (knock on wood).
Anything to flip the switch in your brain from negativity to positivity.
The power of positivity
Studies have shown that being positive leads to greater productivity.
Greater productivity in turn leads to a feeling of self-accomplishment and, you guessed it, confidence.
Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage conducted studies that concluded that “optimists set more goals, put forth more effort into attaining those goals and stay more engaged in the face of difficulty.”
So it’s not just whimsical thinking, putting yourself in a more positive mental state will boost your self-esteem.
Not to mention it will have a positive influence on those around you.
4. Embrace a growth mindset
Let’s break down the difference between a growth mindset vs a fixed mindset.
Here’s a graph that compares the differences:
If you’re living with a fixed mindset, you’re going to believe that your abilities, skills, and knowledge are capped.
That you are the way you are and there’s no chance of improvement.
This kind of thinking will only fuel limiting beliefs and leave your confidence in the gutter.
Understanding that you can and will improve yourself with practice, should calm your nerves and grow your dreams of success.
5. Leave perfectionism at the door
Understand that we all make mistakes, we all have to fail to succeed.
Failure is life’s teacher.
If we become so caught up in pleasing others, not making mistakes, and worrying about what people think, we will never feel truly confident in our abilities.
And more importantly, it will rob us of our happiness.
If you find yourself living with a fixed mindset, work on taking baby steps to break free from that habitual way of thinking.
- Read books on personal growth and mindset such as, “Mindset” by Carol Dweck.
- Listen to inspirational podcasts about mindset, entrepreneurship, and personal growth.
If you get nothing else out of this blog post, please remember that you are capable of learning and improving on anything you dedicate time and effort to.
Approach new opportunities and challenges at work with curiosity and enthusiasm.
Hey, it might even win you some praise from your boss, and that will boost your confidence.
Final thoughts
Low self-esteem can hinder our work ethic, productivity, and happiness. Luckily, we don’t have to live like this forever.
Implementing small habits like standing up straight, achieving small wins, and cultivating a positive mindset, will break us free from these mental barriers and get us back on the path of extraordinary success.
What’s another way to grow confidence? Improving your communication skills! Whether you’re in a customer facing role or not, being able to build rapport is a confidence boost in and of itself. Check out the post here!
