Confidence Booster.

We all need a confidence boost. In every walk of life people will suffer at some point with a little lack of self belief, moments of doubt, arguably caused by some negative self talk. Some cry out for another voice to tell them ‘everything will be OK’, until you realise that voice needs to be your own.

Over the years I’ve had my fair share of self doubt, in fact I probably still seek that extra vote of confidence from someone else. But I’ve also learnt a lot about myself, and yet on many occassions, I’ve often fond it hard to feel confident in myself, so I follow a process and this helps me to hear my own positive voice, more clearly. 

Avoiding that negative energy that occasionally comes to visit in the form of self talk is vital. When it arrives tell it ‘your not in today’, recognise what the voice is telling you but make a real effort to not rise to it. It may have heard you mention something like ‘I can’t’, or ‘I’m not ready’ or ‘I’m not fit enough’ or the old classic, ‘I’ve not got time’, and that voice will use this as ammunition to undermine you.  These few phrases are ‘Limiting Beliefs’, and if you’ve heard that phrase before, I’m sure you’ve also used one or all of the above excuses for not doing something. Have we not all allowed this negative self talk into our lives at some point? If we have, then did we act on the voice?

As a confidence booster, look ahead not back. Legendary music producer states in his best seller, The Creative Act, “No matter what route you take, if you complete the journey, you will reach the same destination”. Moving forward is a journey and one where, if we allow ourselves to enjoy the process, this enjoyment will help defeat the negative voices,  the self talk and limiting beliefs, and the crippling negative energy, that hurts our confidence. 

On this journey, ignore the consequences, because this is where we learn. In sport, art, life, or work, enjoying the process of reaching what you deem as success, then anything that happens along this journey will be a learning experience. Forgive yourselves any mistakes, if that’s what you’d like to call them. The hard work and sacrifices needed will be admirable and something to celebrate.

Observe yourself on this journey. Ask what is going well? Is there any aspect you could improve? How did I do? Be kind to yourself, and always challenge those negative thoughts, if they creep in. Remembering this; Dave Brailsford (Former Sky Cycling Director) once said when talking about marginal gains that won them so many races, including a few Tour de France victories, ‘they’re thoughts with no fact, they’re pure emotion, with no evidence’. 

Just believe in your actions, please don’t worry what anyone’s else thinks, and race your own race.  That’s what I’m on a journey to do.