“If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it – then I can achieve it.” ~ Muhammad Ali
The problem with people who have low self-belief is that they often think that they are wrong, or that others are more capable than they are.
We all take hits to our self-esteem when things go wrong, but there’s always something we can do to reinvigorate confidence in ourselves. The good news is that self-belief is a skill that we can learn and develop.
1. Examine your skills.
Do you know what you’re good at?
We have different skills sets that help us to achieve our goals. Some people try to achieve big goals without first examining their skills.
If they lack skills that are essential to achieving their goals and if they don’t take steps to acquire those skills, chances of success are low.
Failure affects their self-belief and they start to doubt themselves by thinking negative, instead of positive thoughts. Low self esteem follows.
Examine your skills and be aware of what you’re good at. Use your strengths to hit you targets, and if you need additional skills to succeed, learn them.
2. Reflect on achievements.
You don’t need to look too far to find success stories that can boost your confidence.
You are a success story. You’ve survived everything life has thrown at you. Think about it and go down the memory lane thinking of the challenges you’ve faced in the past.
When there are obstacles blocking the way forward, analysis, planning and other skills help you overcome them. You used specific skills to jump over hurdles in the past. Value those skills, and continually try to develop and hone them.
3. Gain awareness.
We’re told to dream big and to reach for the stars. There’s nothing you can’t do if set your mind to it.
Knowing what’s required to complete a task well and taking concrete steps to tick off the list of requirements will bring you closer to success.
4. Help people.
Seeing other people triumph and knowing that you played a part in their victory is satisfying.
Our self-esteem grows because we were able to positively touch the life of another. The head of the Center for the Study of the Individual and Society at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Mark Snyder, says, “People who volunteer tend to have higher self-esteem, psychological well-being, and happiness.”
While your motives may be selfish, making yourself available to others is a great way to both help other people and reinforce your self-belief.
Volunteering, teaching, or simply being a good friend all contribute to the happiness of others in ways you may not even be aware of.
5. Think outside the box.
We tend to believe we aren’t capable in certain areas because events in our lives have led us to think that way.
Society likes to put us in boxes based on various criteria such as gender, race, nationality and religion; it’s easy to start believing that we shouldn’t do something because we’re not supposed to do it and if we do attempt it, we’re bound to fail.
It’s time to discard such an antiquated line of thought. More likely than not, you’ve already done many things that you were previously told you couldn’t. Focus on those success stories to help you build self-esteem.
6. Set more goals.
A complacent attitude holds us back from being all that we can be. A fear of failing stops us from setting goals that would contribute favorably to our quality of life.
We hold back because then we won’t fail and we can retain some level of confidence.
Don’t be afraid. Set the right goals, apply your skills and commit yourself to reach success.
You will reach your goals and, as you become more and more successful, set greater challenges for yourself.
Never stop trying new things. You have skills. You have the right attitude. And you are mindful of the goals you set for yourself.
Photo credit: digital-dreams via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-SA
Igor is a law of attraction follower with a Law of Attraction blog (http://www.thelawofattraction.org/). He loves travel, both cats and dogs and well lit spaces.
