H0w to Boost Self Confidence

7 Ways As Your Business Grows

What individual comes to your mind when you hear the word confidence? Could it be someone you know personally? Perhaps someone you knew in the past? Anyone who knows me on Twitter, @rjack55, will recognize my background image being that of the late, great, Muhammad Ali, who to me have always epitomized the word confidence-which I use to symbolize the trait in myself and my abilities as a Social Media Specialist. True, self-confidence is not an overnight acquisition. The definition itself means: “belief in oneself and one’s powers or abilities.” It sounds simple but not always the case. The good news is you don’t have to be a Muhammad Ali to be successful with your business as a truly confident entrepreneur. All you need is just a little to start out with, and as your business grows, so will confidence in yourself. So here are 7 ways to build that confidence, while you grow your business.

1. Be Organized. If you are a solo entrepreneur don’t try to take on too much at one time. This will actually make you think you lack ability and as a result, you lose confidence. Be patient and build your business one step at a time.

2. Become An Expert. Don’t feel that you have to be an absolute expert in your field or niche. Learn how to promote your products or services, perhaps harnassing the power of social media, to where you are seen as an expert. As others began to look to you for information, this helps build your self-confidence while you are still learning and gaining experience with your business.

3. Choose A Role Model. This can be someone close to you or someone famous or inspirational. It could be an associate or a former boss who you respected. Think of the qualities that the role model displays, whether physical, emotional, or morally. Work towards acquiring those traits. You will find that it may help you to become a better business person which will help you to build confidence in yourself.

4. Make A List of Your Strong Points. Focusing on your strong points helps distract you from those parts of yourself that you think are flawed. It doesn’t have to be a specific skill or activity either; it can be an approach or an attitude. For example: Are you calm or collected? Are you very patient with people? Do you always see the humorous or bright side of things? These are all strong points!

5. Work On Your Elevator Pitch. What is an Elevator Pitch? This is a concise, well-practiced description of your idea. It should end by asking for something to start a relationship. You’ll find if you get people to ask questions or build a relationship with you, this will boost your confidence in yourself.

6. Improve Your Posture. Having good posture can actually make you feel more confident. Don’t slouch or slump your shoulders when you walk. Make sure that your back is straight, your shoulders are square, and your chest is puffed out slightly, but stay loose. Good posture also helps with deep breathing, which helps with feeling calm and relaxed.

7. Think Less- Learn By Doing. Let’s say you are selling a product. Maybe jewelry or cosmetic and you want to approach a stranger with that product. If you over-analyze on what you can say, you can get negative and get caught up in all the possibility of things that can go wrong. So just do it! Preparation is good but sometimes you can actually doubt yourself. So think less, and learn by doing! Your skills will get stronger as a result, which will help increase confidence in your abilities. Yes more and more today are taking the task of starting their own business, either offline or online with the help of social media. If you are one of these then don’t hesitate because you feel you lack confident. No matter whom you are, a little self-confidence can go a long way in building your success.
So “Float Like a Butterfly and Sting Like a Bee!” Yes-you can DO IT!!!

By Reginald Jackson.