How To Have More Confidence

There’s an Inc.com article on The Muse titled 10 Ways You Can Start Boosting Your Confidence (and Feeling Better) Today.  Something we could all use, I’m sure. I’ll list the 10 below, but go to the website for more info and links for each of them.

Before I list their 10, I want to share my one single, awesome tip for gaining confidence. It’s something I heard a few years back, and it’s one of those life lesson gems that I won’t ever forget.  It’s profound:

Self-control leads to self-confidence.

Think about it: if you can control yourself to do (something good) or not do (something bad), and you prove to yourself that you have, and are in, control, you can grow your self-confidence.

Are you a procrastinator?  When exercise self-control and do something, instead of procrastinate, you win a small battle, and you gain self-confidence.

Are you lazy?  When you exercise self-control and do something, like a push-up, or make your bed, or really, anything, then you win the small battle, and increase self-confidence.

“Procrastinator” and “lazy” are simply labels that we allow do define us. They aren’t who we are, but when we allow ourselves to have those labels, we start to believe it, and act that way. We lose battles, and our self-confidence erodes.

Want to feel better about yourself?  Do something to exercise self-control. It could be eating that super-healthy meal, or it could be not eating too much junk.  It could be spending an hour reading a wholesome book, or not spending an our consuming mental junk.  It could be attacking the project you’ve been afraid to start, or it could be telling someone that no, you actually can’t help them.

This simple, small statement, is one of the most profound, and it runs through my head regularly. I hope it empowers you, too.  Self-control leads to self-confidence.

Here are The Muse’s 10 things (notice they can all be tied into self-control!):

1. Fake it until you make it
2. Dress the part
3. Create a positive network
4. Be prepared
5. Fix something small
6. Exercise
7. Educate yourself
8. Participate in community service
9. Clean
10. Set reminders

What are you going to do to increase your self-confidence?