A question I get asked quite a few times - how do you boost your confidence?
Having been a national-level public speaker, I can share a bit about my experience with gaining confidence to address thousands of humans at once.
First things first, confidence is intrinsic. It is within you.
Others may give you motivation and assurances, but confidence essentially comes from within. Not from your Dad. Not from your better half. But from within.
The beautiful corollary is that confidence cannot be shattered by external forces too.
Read that again.
We have heard so many people say that their confidence got shattered by "not landing that dream job" or "failing that exam" etc. But that is an incorrect analysis. Confidence is entirely an emotion inside you.
With that clarity, we come to the question - How to boost confidence?
The answer is simple and plain (so simple that most people will ignore this).
Practice.
Practice!
Practice!!!
When I gave my first speech at a national level, it was to a crowd of 2000 CA Students. Mind you, CA students have boring lives already. They don’t take shit from public speakers.
I remember I had prepared the entire speech well.
But my legs were still shaking.
I did manage to deliver the speech well because I had felt confident beforehand.
Next speech was in Kolkata. I realised my legs weren’t shaking anymore.
When I stepped off, I wasn’t sweating profusely like last time.
It got better.
By the 6th time, I was extremely comfortable on stage addressing a crowd of 3000+ students.
By the 7th time, I was effortlessly controlling the atmosphere in the podium.
That is the simple key to boosting confidence - PRACTICE.
You are scared of that upcoming exam? Take a mock test.
Scared of that job interview tomorrow? Practice in the mirror.
Scared of talking with unknown CXO level people? Practice with strangers in your building.
Scared of anything? Practice!
Thanks for reading.
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