Confidence is Built, not Born

Confidence is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.

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Is confidence innate or is it something we learn throughout our life? Many claim confidence to be inborn. But I’m adamant that confidence is acquired, not inborn. I don’t believe confidence to be innate. It is rather a quality gained through our experiences, practices and knowledge.

So what does it really mean to have confidence? It’s simply a feeling of being sure of your abilities and on yourself, not in an arrogant way, but in a secured and realistic way. It’s a feeling of having a firm belief, being secure on oneself or others. I believe that no one is born confident. It’s not something you’re born with, like an organ. You simply learn to build it with your accomplishments, attitude, environment and repetition.

I often hear people say, “You are so confident. I wish I were confident like you.” Confidence is not a destination but simply a journey. For instance, growing up, I was shy and less confident, but with time and experience, I am more confident. Even today, I get jitters when I come across a new situation and I ask myself if I can tackle it. Although, I wasn’t born confident, on my way, I acquired it.

Thereupon, it’s simply your state of mind that you keep building on throughout your life. It’s also not a “magic pill” that you swallow and wake up feeling confident. It is a process and depends on your feelings and thoughts. Thoughts create emotions and emotions create reactions and actions. So, I believe that confidence is a perception about us, within us. So, how can we build our confidence? Some of the ways that can boost our confidence are:

1. Be prepared.
2. Avoid negative thoughts.
3. Monitor your progress.
4. Stop comparing yourself with others.