How to Wiggle Out of the Mud!- 3

Seven Sources of Self-Confidence

By Ron Ross

If God himself could give you a report on how much raw untapped talent lies within you, you would be embarrassed to ever whine or complain again.

No matter how stuck in the mud you may be today, you have the capacity to summon empowering emotions, to imagine remarkable goals, and to make choices in this present moment that will change your life forever, and it all starts in your mind.

You must develop underlying core beliefs that “I can do this”, that “I can handle almost any situatio
I encounter.” Then, when you are faced with a challenge or opportunity, your response will not be fear, doubt, anxiety, or lame excuses. Instead you will say, “I can do this! I can beat this! I can wiggle out of the mud I am in!”

To help you start wiggling, here are Seven Sources of Self-Confidence:

1. Previous success. Previous performance is the greatest predictor of future success. That’s why you had to play your little four-note song at a piano recital after only a few months of lessons, or why your dance teacher had you perform when you knew only a few steps. Big success comes after small steps of progress. Look back in your life for your successes and build on them.

2. Mastery of skills. Skill preparation is one of the top sources of confidence. If you know how to do it, you can get it done! Many successful athletes credit quality training for their confidence and performance success. World class golfer Sam Snead said, “Practice puts brains in your muscles.”

3. Modeling. Watch other people do what you want to do and imitate their moves. Great athletes love to watch great athletes, not because of the show, but because they learn how to improve their own game. Model your life after someone you admire.

4. Positive reinforcement. Athletes who play with coaches who give frequent praise along with technical instruction will significantly increase their self-esteem over the course of the season. Make sure someone is cheering you on to success.

5. Self-presentation. Dress right, groom yourself, stand up straight, speak with confidence, and act like you are a person of importance. You know the feeling you have when you look your best!

6. Mental toughness. Develop skills and strategies to help you maintain focus and manage the kinds of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that lead to optimal performance. Significant achievements happen most often to the weary and worn, the battered and bruised.

7. Optimism. Colin Powel said, “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” Someone has called optimism “The fuel of heroes, the enemy of despair, the creator of the future.” What you expect will happen, has a way of happening.

Pick one of the Seven Sources of Self-confidence and work on it until you can say, “That’s me!” Then pick another. Tap into all the God-given potential you have been allowing to lie dormant. Wake up your future and tap into the Seven Sources of Self-confidence and sooner than you think you will wiggle out of the mud.

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©Copyright 2016 Dr. Ronald D. Ross