I've been reading an article in Readers Digest, Surprising Secrets to Unshakeable Confidence, that provides some ideas for expecting positive outcomes. It is true that not all of our hopes and dreams come true. But placing ourselves in a better position will set us up to achieve them more often. Doing so requires improving your own confidence.
The article describes six strategies to boost your confidence and a short, very short, description of each. I recommend you get your hands on the article to read it more in-depth.
1. The toes and shoulders test
How you carry yourself, your dress, your health and the like. Not only does it signal to others that you are confident, but dressing the part boosts your own self-image. Makes you feel better and you 'carry yourself' in a more confident manner.
2. How to get to Carnegie Hall
Repeat positive messages to yourself and smile. If you enter a room smiling, you are more likely to provoke a positive response from others. This in turn makes you more confident.
3. Flying without spoons
Avoid hanging with negative people and 'gripe sessions'. If someone is being down on things, try to turn it into a positive one. And if there are valid complaints or 'gripes', ask them or yourself to present ideas to solve it. This indicates a "sense that you are in control and can take action that will make things happen." You become more confident in yourself.
4. The angry e-mail file
Remember an article I wrote some time back called S.U.M.O.? SUMO means "Shut Up, Move On", which sounds harsher then it is. Go back in my archives "Monday, September 19, 2005 - So Shut Up and Move On", to read more. It will effect your own self confidence.
5. Let the Confidence Games begin
Simple recognition of others and of yourself goes a long way in establishing confidence. Telling someone something good about them raises their confidence. "Find the strength in somebody else..." and you will find people finding strengths in you...again, raising your confidence level.
6. Remember Kanter's Law: Everything can look like a failure in the middle
Adopt the attitude "that if you do something it will make a difference, that's confidence." Just understand that persistence is a key to success. An old worn saying is that eventually there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Things will improve and so will your confidence.
There are many ways to work on and improve your confidence. Adopting a positive attitude will do great things in boosting your confidence and vice-versa.
“Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.” - Peter T. Mcintyre
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Valentines Day
Happy Valentines Day to all the women in my life and in yours. Remember that we never walk alone.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Move Beyond Your Critics
As you go through life, there are going to be obstacles attempting to weigh you down. Those things that try to slow you down, those people that try to stand in the way of your dreams. Take the life of a man named Barry Pincus. Born in Brooklyn in the early 40s, his parents divorced when he was just two years old.
As he grew up he learned to play piano and learned what he could of music. His mother then remarried when he was nearly 13. A man named Willie who drove a beer truck for the Schaefer Brewery. Through his mother's new husband, a new world was opened up. The record collections of jazz and Broadway musicals vastly changed the way Barry viewed his world.
As he grew up, he worked his way through Julliard's School of Music and worked in the mail room at CBS Television. As it is said, to start at the bottom is to start in the mailroom and work your way up. Life probably couldn't get any better for Barry, but keeping his dreams intact there was nothing to keep him down. Even after marriage and an emotional divorce that could set many back, he ventured on.
He started work at composing music and performing at small gigs. Even writing commerical jingles to support himself and feeding his vision. Until he connected with Bette Midler and the two performed with Barry being the musical director. A successful pair was what the two became and Barry gained popularity as well.
Barry Manilow as he is known became famous for his multitude of songs and very successful performing career. He did much of this also in the face of harsh music critics. Many called his music 'sentimental garbage', a tough remark for anyone to face. But Barry persevered in his dreams and remains very popular.
He could have 'folded his cards' many times when others set out to criticize, to place those obstacles in his path. Your life faces many of the same challenges. Believe in your dreams, believe in your visions.
“There is nothing which persevering effort and unceasing and diligent care cannot accomplish.” - Seneca quotes (Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD)
As he grew up he learned to play piano and learned what he could of music. His mother then remarried when he was nearly 13. A man named Willie who drove a beer truck for the Schaefer Brewery. Through his mother's new husband, a new world was opened up. The record collections of jazz and Broadway musicals vastly changed the way Barry viewed his world.
As he grew up, he worked his way through Julliard's School of Music and worked in the mail room at CBS Television. As it is said, to start at the bottom is to start in the mailroom and work your way up. Life probably couldn't get any better for Barry, but keeping his dreams intact there was nothing to keep him down. Even after marriage and an emotional divorce that could set many back, he ventured on.
He started work at composing music and performing at small gigs. Even writing commerical jingles to support himself and feeding his vision. Until he connected with Bette Midler and the two performed with Barry being the musical director. A successful pair was what the two became and Barry gained popularity as well.
Barry Manilow as he is known became famous for his multitude of songs and very successful performing career. He did much of this also in the face of harsh music critics. Many called his music 'sentimental garbage', a tough remark for anyone to face. But Barry persevered in his dreams and remains very popular.
He could have 'folded his cards' many times when others set out to criticize, to place those obstacles in his path. Your life faces many of the same challenges. Believe in your dreams, believe in your visions.
“There is nothing which persevering effort and unceasing and diligent care cannot accomplish.” - Seneca quotes (Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD)
Friday, February 10, 2006
An Important Belief - In Yourself
Are there things that you believe in? Do you believe that the earth is round, the sky is blue and that birds can fly? Think of those things that you've learned in life and believe in. Your everyday existence is based and influenced by your belief in one thing or another. I know for certain that I can get in my car and drive a certain route and get myself to work. I know that if I pick up and eat what looks like a pretzel but is really a dried pepper will burn the inside of my mouth. At least now I do!
There are many things you can point to and say, "that thing, that knowledge, that reality is something I believe in." My friend Dean Sweetman said once that, "...it is easy to believe that which we can see. But it is difficult to believe in that which requires faith to envision." So what about a cure for that which we deem uncurable? Can you believe in the goodness of others. Maybe you've experienced the goodness in others and therefore believe in it.
Through my life I've seen things happen that were hard to imagine years ago. This type of thing isn't new and unique to me as others older and younger then I am have seen the same things. Think back 20 or 30 years ago, who would have thought the Berlin Wall coming down. There were of course those that had a vision that it would happen. What about the planet Mars landscape becoming a parking lot for exploratory vehicles.
If your answer is yes, you believe in something, real or envisioned, then you can believe in yourself to achieve your own visions. You can have the strength to do the seemingly impossible. Use the same amount of energy in believing in yourself that you give to believing in all of these other things. Your success depends upon believing in oneself.
“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” - Gail Devers
There are many things you can point to and say, "that thing, that knowledge, that reality is something I believe in." My friend Dean Sweetman said once that, "...it is easy to believe that which we can see. But it is difficult to believe in that which requires faith to envision." So what about a cure for that which we deem uncurable? Can you believe in the goodness of others. Maybe you've experienced the goodness in others and therefore believe in it.
Through my life I've seen things happen that were hard to imagine years ago. This type of thing isn't new and unique to me as others older and younger then I am have seen the same things. Think back 20 or 30 years ago, who would have thought the Berlin Wall coming down. There were of course those that had a vision that it would happen. What about the planet Mars landscape becoming a parking lot for exploratory vehicles.
If your answer is yes, you believe in something, real or envisioned, then you can believe in yourself to achieve your own visions. You can have the strength to do the seemingly impossible. Use the same amount of energy in believing in yourself that you give to believing in all of these other things. Your success depends upon believing in oneself.
“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” - Gail Devers
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