Regaining Your Confidence

By Dr. Keith Johnson

I know firsthand what it is like to reach rock bottom as far as confidence is concerned. I created confidence-building strategies because I felt the pain of failure, fear, and self-doubt, and wanted to rise above the problems to become successful. My bumpy road to becoming America’s Confidence Coach began when I flunked kindergarten because my teacher said I was a slow learner. Believing what I was told hindered my ability to read and write. By the age of 23 I had not read an entire book.

The pain of my abusive childhood and the disappointment of some life failures kept me from becoming the confident person I was destined to be. It was easy to use my damaging past life experiences as excuses to blame, shut down, and live in hopelessness rather than having the confidence to change and grow so I could create the fantastic life I desired. I am now convinced, though, that the pains of the past have a purpose when we see them as teaching tools rather than excuses.

I realized that my lack of confidence had to be overcome and I set in place key principles that brought me business success, helped me earn college degrees, and not only read books, but write them as well. Now I coach thousands of people worldwide about how to fill their lives with success and confidence.

Confidence is the byproduct of predictability. When something predictable is removed or a sudden change happens in our personal lives or organizations, people tend to feel insecure.

To restore your confidence, you must:

1. Ask yourself the right questions.

Profound questions produce profound answers. Ask yourself, “What predictabilities have been removed from my life?” Then, “What immediate action can I take to make my life more predictable?”

A couple of my favorite questions that I ask myself during times of feeling insecure: “What three things can I do in the next 90 days that will make a 50 percent difference in the rest of this year?” “What one major problem do I need to solve that will make my life more predictable?”

Start looking for solutions instead of focusing on problems. You must believe there is an answer to your current problems. If you will confidently believe that there is an answer to the problems you are facing, your mind will design a road map to find it. If you don’t believe there is an answer, your mind will not create one.

2. List your former successes.

You can increase your confidence by using your memory. Your mind is designed to recall past events. Great achievers learn to replay the memories of their past successes. You can actually use your past success to supercharge your confidence. Listing your former successes and accomplishments will fuel your confidence to try it again. Your list will empower you with the confidence to say, “I did this before; I can do it again.”

3. Focus on your strengths.

Ask yourself, “What is my greatest strength?” You might not know right away, but simply ask yourself, “What do I do that seems to be very easy for me, but is hard for others?” When you answer this question, you have discovered your single greatest strength. Design your life around your strengths and you will notice an instant confidence boost.

Conclusion

What one person calls a crisis, another person calls an opportunity. No matter what kind of challenges you are facing, remember that no one can stop you but you. Confident people do not sit around waiting for someone or something to tell them what their future is going to look like—they create it.

Stop listening to the voices of negativity. Build your confidence to an all-time high. This year can be your golden opportunity—go for it.

About the Author
Keith Johnson PhD is the Confidence Coach. He has spent the last 15 years teaching over 120,000 leaders how to maximize their confidence, potential, and effectiveness through his keynote messages, consulting programs, and his books. Get your free e-book entitled 10 Habits of Highly Confident People from Keith Johnson now at www.TheConfidenceCoach.com