Seven Ways to Act With Confidence

Whatever you do or dream, you can begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now. -- Goethe

Boldness does have POWER in it!

The trouble is sometimes it's tough to act with boldness, isn't it? There have been way too many times when I "chickened out" and let opportunities pass me by because I didn't have the gumption to act boldly. In the past, I've passed up networking events, chances to connect with potential clients, and skipped following through with things I really needed to do that would have grown my business. There's no telling how many possibilities I said, "No" to because I just couldn't make myself act boldly.

Why? Oh, I made plenty of excuses that seemed reasonable enough at the time. Not enough time to go to that event, didn't have the "right" clothes, not enough money to hire this particular coach or take that course I needed to help me move forward. Have you ever done that?

What was really happening? It all boils down to not being willing to act with boldness. Letting fear stop me. Procrastination. Projecting all sorts of unrealistic consequences if I acted boldly instead of shrinking back and playing it safe.

When I finally decided to act more boldly, things changed. Goethe said that boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. It's true. Acting with boldness shifts your mindset. Once you begin, even if your first steps are tentative, you start feeling more confident. People relate to you differently. Opportunities that you never noticed appear. They were probably always right there in front of you, but you couldn't see them before. Ideas flow freely. Maybe that's the "genius" that Goethe spoke of.

Ever heard the phrase, "Fake it 'til you make it?" It works! Even if you don't feel the least bit bold, act as if you have confidence in what you're doing. Knees feel like jelly, palms all sweaty, and your stomach is churning? Go ahead anyway. And don't tell anyone that you're scared! People won't know unless you let them in on your little secret.

1) Start your Boldness Campaign with something small that you've been scared to tackle. Build up from there. Success breeds success.

2) Practice projecting your voice with authority. Pay attention to all the "you knows" and "uhs" you use. When you're making a statement, don't make it sound like a question or as if you're asking for someone's approval to speak.

3) Be courteous to everyone, but don't allow others to push you aside (figuratively or literally).

4) Stand up straight. (I know, I know. Your mother always told you to do that. She was right.)

5) Hold your head up and look people right in the eye.

6) Move with a confident spring in your step. Just changing the way you speak and hold yourself gives you the aura of being bolder and more confident.

7) Fake it 'til you make it. You'll start to feel more confident over time. (Yes, it takes practice. Try it. Not just once, but consistently)

Let me know how acting with boldness works for you. Do you feel more confident? What changed for you?