206 / BECOMING MORE EFFECTIVEManaging thoughts
Most of us have a voice in our heads
telling us to be careful and stopping
us from doing things that would cause
harm to ourselves. The same voice can
also prevent us from doing new things
and progressing: “If you do this, you’ll
make a fool of yourself. Let someone
else do it.” When you hear that voice,
ask yourself: “What’s the worst that can
happen if I do this?”, “How likely is that
to happen?”, and “What’s the best that
can happen?” In most cases you will
find the good outweighs the bad, and
you should go ahead. If not, at least you
will have evaluated the risk logically
and assessed whether it is one you
are prepared to take.Looking confident
It is also important to build confidence
on the outside—how you appear to
others. Even if you don’t feel it, “acting”
confident can have an effect on both
you and those around you. If you have
a confident demeanor, you are more
likely to be treated like a confident
person by others. This will reinforce
your self-belief and help you feel
more confident in yourself.
All of us get into bad habits, whether
it’s slouching in our seat, forgetting
to acknowledge people when we meet
them, or not taking enough care over
our appearance. Take a moment to think
about the image you portray—is it one
of a confident and professional person?CHECKLIST...
Appearing confident YES NO1 Do I maintain good posture? (An upright posture, keeping your
shoulders down and your neck relaxed, makes you look and
sound confident.) ..............................................................................2 Do I control my breathing when I’m nervous? (Fast, shallow
breaths make you light-headed and raise the pitch of your
voice, betraying your lack of confidence.) .......................................3 Do I avoid closed body language, such as crossing my arms,
and instead use open gestures and occupy the space around
me as if I own it? ...............................................................................4 Do I sit comfortably rather than rigidly, avoiding jerky
movements and fighting the urge to fidget? ..................................5 Do I always dress neatly and appropriately and feel
comfortable in what I wear? ............................................................US_206-207_Being_confident.indd 206 30/05/16 3:03 pm