Confidence is Your Birthright

Remember when you were a kid and thought you could do anything? You knew no boundaries, had no fears and felt you could conquer the world? Self confidence was your birthright and you knew how to use it to get what you wanted.

Then you grew up and that self confidence was eroded by life experiences, perceived or real limitations, negative relationships and, well, life.

The Role of Confidence in Business

As your business' CEO, your role is to grow your business, be the face of your business and develop new products or services.

That means imparting your knowledge to your team so they can handle the day-to-day of your business without you. This is particularly hard as an entrepreneur since your business is "your baby". Remember, parents need to let go of their babies so they can grow. So, too, must you for your business to grow. That means giving your team the information they need to keep your business running smoothly whether or not you are there.

How Do We Get Confidence?

Step Back

First, take the time to step back and look at where you may be lacking self confidence. Understanding the origin of low or diminishing self confidence can help identify the appropriate course of action.

Take Action

It's no secret that taking action regularly keeps you inspired, motivated and feeling like a player. Take action every week, every day if possible, towards your goals.

Push the Envelope

Get out of your comfort zone...often. There is evidence that pushing the envelop (doing something challenging, scary or exciting) actually has a positive hormonal impact on your body.

Stop Comparing

Remember, you were put on this earth to accomplish your purpose, not someone else's. Every time you compare yourself to others, you strip away self confidence.

Set Goals

Set goals that are in service of your Purpose here on earth. Achieving just to achieve can still leave you lacking in self confidence. As you achieve them, your soul will be fed and so, too, your confidence.

Surround Yourself with Achievers

Move away from downers. Nothing zaps your energy, confidence and focus more than being with naysayers or people who accept their unsatisfying or crummy status quo. If you're intimidated, fake the confidence until you start to feel the confidence. Odds are there are other people in the room doing the same thing.

Honor Your Word

Whenever we don't live up to a commitment to ourselves, a loved one, a friend or client, our self-confidence erodes. Staying true to your word reinforces that you work with intention and integrity and that's good for confidence.

Honor Yourself

Above all, honor and respect yourself. Trust your intuition, dress with respect, exercise and take time out to refuel yourself. Be clear on, and respect, your own boundaries and needs so that others respect them. This reinforces to yourself, and others, that "I'm worth it."

© 2009 Illumin LLC

You are welcome to "reprint" this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered, includes the contact information at the end, and you send me a copy of or link to your reprint at Margaret@Illumin.biz.