What you sow you reap is a time-honoured truism. If you plant an acorn in
moist, fertile soil, it will grow into a mighty oak. It can’t help it, it’s genetically
programmed that way.
Similarly, no matter what has gone before, if you plant the seeds of confidence
in your consciousness through your intentions, thoughts, attitudes and beliefs,
imaginings, actions and words, and keep them well nourished, confidence
will grow.
You’ll notice I said no matter what has gone before. Certainly you have been influ-
enced by past events and circumstances, but they do not tell the whole story. The
seeds – or causes – that have blossomed into the person you are include:
■ Your genetic inheritance and biochemistry (hormones etc). Scientists tell us
that these account for around 25-35% of your character.
■ The environment in which you were raised, including people.
■ Your unique way of trying to make sense of it all, both at the time and now.
Obviously you cannot change your genes, and you cannot change your biochem-
istry without resorting to drastic, potentially dangerous measures (drugs etc). But
if greater confidence is your aim, there’s no need. Because although your genetic
inheritance is known to play a role in determining how outgoing you are,
whether you are volatile or placid, and your predisposition for certain mental
health problems (such as stress, depression, addictions and compulsive behav-
iours),no causal link has ever been found between genes and confidence.
Confidence (or lack of it) is learned, mostly in the first few years of childhood. It
began to take shape when you were weak and vulnerable, after which it became
self-reinforcing. And anything which has been learned can be reappraised and
replaced with new, superior learning.
Sow the seeds of confidence
and watch them grow