At www.dictionary.com “Confidence” is defined as:
1. full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing.
2. belief in oneself and one’s powers or abiliites; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance.
Why is this imporant when it comes to building a new internet (or any) business? Does it really matter if I’m confident in my own abilities? Isn’t “self-confidence” like being boastful or proud?
In my experience with small business management, I would say the main factor that separates the successful businesses from those that are not is that one small word – CONFIDENCE! Synonyms for confidence are faith, belief, trust, reliance, dependance, and self-assurance. I really believe strongly in the idea: “If you think you can, or you think you can’t – You’re right!” I don’t know anyone who has achieved a high degree of success, be it money, leadership, recognition, or even a great family foundation, that didn’t have confidence. It is one of the vital keys to reaching our full potential.
How can we gain confidence in our own abilities? What steps can we take every day to build our confidence if we feel it isn’t there yet? Here are a few steps I take that seem to help:
1. Write out a plan: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” I haven’t always done this but the more I do, the more I believe all the information I read about it. A plan is crucial in any endeavor: football teams have a playbook of plans, contractors plan things out before building a home, professional speakers have a plan before they take the stage, teachers use a curriculum.
2. Review your plan frequently: Remember, remember, remember! It’s so easy for us to make the excuse – I forgot to do that. That’s why reviewing your plan at least daily can help. Post the plan on your bathroom mirror, tape it to your car dashboard, write it in your planner, do whatever YOU need to do to remind yourself of steps you need to take.
3. Tell someone about your plan and ask them to hold you accountable: It’s far too easy to quit and give up on yourself when things don’t seem to go as easy as you think they should. That’s why it’s good to have someone there to help you through and encourage you to stick to it. Your confidant may be able to give you feedback that can help you get to new levels too.
4. Record your progress: “Small Success leads to Big Success!” I know, many of my clients probably hear this too much. However, those that do it really seem to be getting to levels that they never imagined were possible. It can be so rewarding to read back over the steps you’ve taken to get where you are, even if they are very small. It’s always the little things we do every day which help us get where we want to go.
5. Revise your plan from time to time: Don’t be afraid to make adjustments. If a certain defense isn’t working for a basketball team, a good coach will change things up, give the offense a different look to see if it will make a difference. If he keeps doing what he’s always done, he will most likely get the same result. So it is with our business plan: we will have to make revisions from time to time; especially if what we are doing isn’t taking us where we want to go.
What do you all do to increase confidence and bellief in what you are doing?
26 replies on “Where can confidence take you?”
Here’s what I do to be confident in what I am doing. I look back 3 or 4 months ago, and see where I was then. Some days it seems like I don’t really make any progress and if anything I took a step backwards. Then I look back a few months and think “look at how many sales I have made, and how many people have seen my ads or visited my website”, and I realize that I am really making small progress and just because I don’t jump ahead on a particular day there are still people out there seeing my ads and visiting my site that may become customers in the future. It’s just like Nate says all the time, “small success leads to BIG success”. It could never be more true for someone like me who is just starting his own business, it’s the small things you do everyday that set your business up for HUGE success in the future!
Great Post! This plays right along with what I do for a living. I assist others in becoming successful entrepreneurs. Often times I will come across someone who feels the opportunity I offer is too good to be true. Well, the moment that thought popped into his head, it was true for him. It is too good to be true for that person as long as he thinks it is. It’s not for me, or several others that I have worked with. It’s a confidence issue, just as you said.
Also, you hit the nail on the head in talking about having to remind yourself over and over again in order to improve. Something else that plays into that is promises. Some think it easy to keep promises made to others. I agree! But what about self promises? Are you keeping those. They are the easiest promises to break because you are the only one that knows of them. In order to build the necessary confidence to achieve success, keep promises to yourself. Make them on purpose and celebrate when you keep them.
Thanks again!
Thanks for this pick-me-up! As I pondered my own mindset, planning, goals, etc. I realize that I have been straying somewhat. Although I have been bombarded with those little successes, I was a little disheartened that I haven’t had any big successes. This article helped to refocus my energy, take a step back, look at what I have already accomplished, and decide what I want to do next. I really needed this to remind me why I am starting this ecommerce business, and even though I am taking little steps at this time, they will ensure me of greater success later! Thanks again!
I know these things to be true, but have had personal tragedies this past year and sometimes have trouble motivating myself. Also being a single parent now makes things even more difficult. I don’t have the time I really want and need to spend. I will try some more of these examples to try to help myself refocus on what I want to accomplish this year.
Confidence in ones ability’s is like a kite in the wind. With a good strong wind (successes) your confidence is riding high, if the wind lets up your kite (confidence) plummets to the ground. You then have to run like the devil to try and get that kite back into the air. It makes it even more difficult if you have to have several projects (kites) in the air at once. While starting this new E-Commerce business we still have to be able to pay our bills, put food on the table and attend to the other matters of life. It is vitally important to have someone on the outside to keep you focused and pointed in the right direction. Having a plan of action and keeping to it, being able to adjust to the many distractions, changes, new ideas, market trends, etc. can not be stressed enough. Myself and family have made our living up to now through selling our labor (physical) and knowledge to the highest bidder. This new endeavor is taxing our mental powers as there are many new ways of thinking and new tools that have to be learned. With help from our coaches we will make this a success. We do need to write down our plan of action, and not keep it in our head. CAN’T SHOULD NOT BE IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
I found that really researching something and planning are what help me with my confidence. I found the way that Prosperlearning is setup helps me a lot with confidence. Things that use to scare me silly are presented simply and clearly to me. I never would have dreamed about setting up a business on the web before.
Very relevant post for me – good replies too. Confidence is something that I never have quite enough – sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and take the plunge.
Try repeating some suitable positive affirmations if you are really feeling at a low ebb. Sure, it sounds false when you first do it – but if you are in your own office then it should not be a problem!
Positive thinking along with positive action. That’s what gets results!
I absolutely agree that confidence is so important when starting a business.
Many times we let negative thoughts take up space in our head, which leads to self-doubt, procrastination, lack of focus, then the big F word Failure.
I have very supportive family and friends who know what my goals are, which
keeps me on task. I also use my task function on my computer to keep me remain focused. I also write my goals down on paper and keep them posted in my car.
I believe that confidence is one of the keys to success, in my business
Imaging My Image, self-esteem and confidence are the cornerstone of the business.
This was a good post for me to read at this time. I especially liked the reply with the kite analogy. That is so true. When things are going well, it is easier to be confident and believe in ourselves. Nate said something to me a couple of weeks ago that I replay to myself over and over and that is “What would you do if you knew you could never fail?” Lack of confidence does make us doubt ourselves and lose our faith in our ability to be successful. Another thing that has helped me to maintain my confidence to achieve my goal is I have taped my goals on the side of my computer as I am on it daily and see it more than any other part of my house at this time. This has helped me to accomplish the small goals which will ultimately lead to the large goals. Thank you, Nate.
This is a true article and many who are successful have followed this guide. The key is writing it down and being diligent in keeping them in front of us. If we really look deep, we all have a level of confidence otherwise we would not of stepped out of our comfort zones and taken up a new challenge of becoming our own boss. Continue to BELIEVE!!
This is a good post for me! I always have the plan in my head or at least I think I do. I am going to put it on paper and put it where I can see and be reminded of it several times a day. I think just having it in front of me will help me to keep focused. I also think that writing down my accomplishments, even though they may seem small, will help me to keep going forward.
I do believe that if you think you can, you can! So I try to stay positive, and plan for the future. Work hard, and do a little dreaming. IT WILL HAPPEN!
Thank You!
If you think you can, or you think you can’t – You’re right!â€. What a profound statement. Write out a plan: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.†This sentence hits the nail on the head. Talking to a prospect on the telephone used to terrify me. But then one day it occured to me that they are unable to reach through the telephone line & touch me, so there. Have enough self confidence to talk to another person.
“You are what you think all day”, this is a statement that I have been using for a few months now, especially when things go wrong (helping me to refocus on what great things I accomplish or have in my life). In order to be successful, we need to unleash our mind’s numerous powers, and keep thinking positive. It is so easy to get all wrapped up in our daily worries, but this is not doing us any good. We got to be strong enough, and confident enough to see all these hurdles as learning opportunities, and to stay on top of things at all times. As long as I truly believe I can make something happen (emotionalizing my thoughts), it can happen. It’s simply up to me to take action !
Self-speak is very important! Each of us has internal dialogue that affects how we really see ourselves and possibly what we accomplish! When talking to others, we may pay lip service to being confident, putting on a show but stop, listen, and analyze, how do you really talk to yourself. As said in this blog and the many comments, positive attitude is very important. When you have a negative thought, stop! Change the thought to positive.
Putting positive self-speak at the top of my written goals is going to be the first change I make to my goals when I update them (in about 5 minutes).
Thanks Nate and all the posts for the inspiring me to rethinking my thought patterns!
I know I am responsible, now I have to find small successes to raise the confidence level. Writing the goals (the way I was doing them) has not worked. Here are some better examples of the things I should be doing.
This is a good article. I need to read it every day! I think for me getting the small jobs done from day to day helps me to build confidence. Especially if it is something I don’t feel like I am capable of doing. Most of the time the hardest part is starting on something that you feel insecure about. And it is such a good feeling to get it done! A lot of days all I need to do is change my mind set and think positive thoughts. I believe that anything can be accomplished if we just try and keep trying until we get it done.
This was a really good reminder to me. Just starting out in ecommerce and starting an eBay store and a website can be overwhelming. This reminds me to stay focused on the things I can control and be confident that everything will turn out. Thankyou
Yes great post. I have already written out aplan of where i want to be in 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and a year. I read my plans every day and revise them or add to them whenever I feel there should be things added or deleted. I have someone who holds me accountable which helps achieve my goals because 1 person can do alone but people give up on themselves way to easy. As I progress through my plan I keep written records.
Yes, this a good post. I really need to be reminded to stay focused and work on self confidence. For me, Ive always been one to want to do something fast and perfect. That’s not possible in building a e-commerce business. I’m going to sit back, and take a look at what I’ve accomplished, be confident in myself and my business. Revise my goals and keep looking forward. I won’t FAIL, I will succeed. I just have to stay confident. I just have to BELIEVE!!
For me to feel confident I need to see successes. In order to be successful I need to sit down and plan out my week so that I don’t forget the things I need to do for my business and then get overwhelmed. I also need to work on staying focused and not let other things distract me.
After our conversation, you are right in that I don’t believe in myself. Incurring debt, plus expenses along the way has put me over the edge, as I mentioned to you earlier. In the past I was involved in MLMs that I failed at. They were supposed to be a “turn-key business” as I understood. That is the only background I have in business. I failed miserably at those too.
I find sometimes if I pretend to be confident the true confidence comes. I act as I wish I feel. One follows the other.
Your plan will work if you have knowledge of the subject , confidence and patience to work out the kinks. These things do not happen overnight!
So true – you have to have some knowledge, confidence and PATIENCE – to my knowledge there is no such thing as a “get-rich-quick” project. The best thing is to leverage other people’s knowledge so you can speed up the process. Thanks for the comment!
Hi Nate
Hi Nate
As you said confidence is about belief. Belief in oneself and belief in the power of the creator. When we have unshaking belief about a subject we are supremely confident about the out come. It is when the belief is riddled with doubt that we fail. True confidence comes from seeing the final destination before we arrive at said destination. When we can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch a result before it happens then the result is assured with as much certainty as the rising of the sun each morning. It is in the mind of man where we have the freedom to step outside of the now and live in the reality we wish or dream of. This is also why it is so important to keep our goals( the reality we desire) constantly in our sphere of focus. Just as a plan is a path to where we wish to be, a goal focused upon creates within us thought, inspirations, and insights as to how to make the goal a reality.
Thank you Nate for all you wounderful comments.
Thanks for the comment Vince! Confidence, belief, faith – all are synonyms and all lead to SUCCESS in whatever you are doing. The mind is a powerful thing!