This post is by Nabil Gulamani of successatreach.com.
Many of us want to work on our self-confidence, but we are not sure about what approach to take to improve it. Those of us that suffer from low self-confidence know we need to take action … and yet we don’t.
Below I have included five tips for ways you can improve your self-confidence so that you can have more success in your career and your personal life.
1. Talk to more people every day
Most of us are caught up in a routine lifestyle, and we talk to the same people every day.
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In order to take your self-confidence to whole new level, you have to make a habit of talking to different people consistently. You will realize that when you have mastered this skill, you will overcome your shyness. The reason why many people suffer from low self-esteem in their social lives is because they are not talking to enough new people each day.
2. Get outside of your comfort zone
We all have fears in certain areas that stop us from having the lives that we really desire. In order for you to grow mentally and emotionally strong, you have to get outside of your comfort zone.
Make a habit of doing what you fear, and you will notice that you will get past all of your limiting beliefs. The reason most of us are afraid to step outside of our comfort zone is because we fear the unknown. When you learn how to deal with uncertainty on a regular basis, you will get a sudden boost in your level of confidence.
3. Practice making direct eye contact when you’re talking to other people
Making eye contact is very important with the people you communicate with face-to-face, every day. When you can master making great eye contact, it will help you in your career, but it can help improve the relationships you have in your personal life as well.
When you can make good eye contact when talking with others, it shows that you have leadership traits. People respond positively to leaders, so if you master these skills, your friends, co-workers, and members of the opposite sex will gain more respect for you.
4. Surround yourself with people who are successful
Start getting to know people who are successful in every area of their life. This includes friends and people in your work niche as well.
When you make a habit of talking to successful people, your vision will expand and you will explore new opportunities that you hadn’t seen in the past. When you are around individuals that are willing to share their success and help you as well, you will enjoy a lot of positive energy.
5. Exercise more often
Go to the gym at least four to five times a week. Many of us are sitting at our office desks the whole day, and it can get really depressing if we don’t move around during the day.
Lack of exercise will affect your confidence in all areas of your life. If you do not want to go to the gym and prefer the outdoors, go for a run or hike. Make working out and eating healthily a long-term commitment. Don’t get into crash dieting because you will feel like you are forcing yourself to stay healthy, and that can have a negative impact on your self-esteem.
Next time you pull out your calendar, make sure that you have enough time set up so you can work on mastering the above skills. Make a daily habit of doing something that will improve your self-confidence.
What are you going to do to take your self-confidence to the next level?
Nabil Gulamani is in sales and helps businesses nationwide with their Direct Marketing. During his free time he blogs about self-improvement and personal growth to help people improve their overall lifestyle. You can visit his Self-Improvement blog www.successatreach.com.
About Guest Contributor
I’ve been working on “cold calling” local business owners to offer online marketing services and it’s very scary and nerve racking. However, I just need to keep doing it consistently and I know my confidence will improve. This was a great read 🙂
You know, if you’re working on cold calling, I can’t recommend enough that you try out writing out a very loose script. Have something to fall back on, in writing, in front of you.
And then barely ever use it.
It’s a safety net and it does wonders for cold calling confidence. Practice does make perfect, though.
Hi Sean,
I used to do a lot of door to door selling…and Yes you have to do this consistenly to build great momentum..I have found that detaching from an outcome is very helpful in cold calling…But the more you do it the more your body gets used to taking action so it becomes a habit…It also becomes very fun and exciting when you get results…Keep me updated on your progress..
Cheers,
Nabil
Excellent suggestions Nabil!
Thanks Mark…Glad you enjoyed it..
Good tips!
Hanif..thanks for the note..Hope it was helpful…
I have to say that getting out of your comfort zone is the best way to gain confidence. Because it causes us to stretch and grow as a person.
Hi Justin…Yes getting outside of your comfort zone is very important becasue you have to feel discomfort in life everyday to grow…..When I am too comfortable I feel like I am not at my edge…
Cheers,
Nabil
I would add “do something you’re passionate about”. This will boost your self-confidence.
Tohami…..Yes..doing something you are passionate about is one fundamental key to success..without that it would be hard to have great energy everyday…
As for no. 1, you can overcome your shyness in small steps if you suffer from approach anxiety. You can ask strangers for directions and talk to shop clerks about the weather. I’ve told one of my very shy friends to try it as an assignment: approach one person every day for 30 days straight. The change in her confidence was clearly visible after a month of such habit-forging. Also, having someone who encourages you helps, so don’t be afraid to ask a friend to check your progress and give you some encouragement.
Paul great tip….all of this builds up overtime and your level of confidence compounds in other areas of your life since you practice it everyday…..Your emotions get conditioned to react at a different level and it becomes a habit…
Thanks for sharing…
Nabil
Magnificent site. Lots of useful info here.
I am sending it to some buddies ans also sharing
in delicious. And certainly, thank you in your sweat!