Confidence is an ingredient in having good self-esteem. When people come in to improve their self-esteem we work on skills to develop more confidence.

Confidence is a quality that creates successful people. However, you don’t need to initially experience success to build confidence. Unfortunately, most people believe you have to achieve to build the confidence, but I maintain you have to believe. You must believe in yourself to develop your confidence quotient.

People with low self-esteem aren’t able to identify areas of confidence, therefore they hinder their own ability to achieve. This becomes a vicious cycle because when they don’t achieve they stop believing. When they don’t believe in themselves they stop conceiving ideas that contribute toward their own personal satisfaction.

How then does the average person increase their confidence quotient? The formula is simple, but developing the discipline to follow it requires structure. Take the following test and decide what areas you need to work on.

Personality Strengths: (circle all that apply to you)
• Are you persistent?
• Do you have a good imagination?
• Do you focus on the positives?
• Do you recognize your strengths?
• Do you let others know about your admirable qualities?

Environmental Structure:
• Do you follow a routine that keeps you balanced and structured?
• Do you associate with supportive people?
• Are you encouraged by others?
• Do you set aside time to accomplish your goals?

Self-Nurturance:
• Are you a self-encourager?
• Do you visualize yourself accomplishing what you want in life?
• Do you believe in yourself?
• Do you recognize and appreciate your attributes?

If you have circled ten or more items, you have a great sense of confidence. If you circled six- to nine, you need to look at the following recommendations and fit them into your life. If you fell below five, you need to make this a number one priority in life.
--Develop a sense of personal worth.
If you grew up in a critical home, it’s imperative that you self-nurture. This means you must use positive self-talk and recognize your assets.
--Create an affirmation that identifies your strengths and repeat it numerous times throughout the day.
Initially, you don’t even have to 100% believe the affirmation. When you repeat a thought over and over it embeds positive messages in the brain. An affirmation may look like this:
“I am a creative, imaginative person and I have everything it takes to be the person I want to be.”
“I am a capable person and have all of the resources to live the life I deserve.”
--Visualize yourself as a capable, confident, and competent person.
Whether it’s presenting at a meeting, organizing a fund-raiser for your child’s school, asking for a promotion, or losing that extra 15 lbs., visualize yourself going through the process, achieving your goals and being successful. Spend 30 seconds doing this daily.
--Focus on the positives in your life.
Confident people focus on the positives and minimize the negatives. They give very little credence to obstacles and spend the majority of their time looking at what is going right in their life.

Now you have the formula. The most important thing is to implement it. Spend a few minutes deciding what steps you will need to take to create the confidence to be the person you want to be!