Confidence is a word you hear all of the time. It’s stressed in the performing arts, business, school, sports, and life in general. Confidence, confidence, confidence. Does anyone know what that word actually means? I don’t think a lot of people do, because it always seems to be mixed up with words like arrogance. Everyone so desperately wants to be confident but is too afraid of being arrogant. As a performer, I see people all over the confidence spectrum and this is what I think makes for a truly confident person.
- Confident people build other people up. If you are confident in your own ability to succeed, then there is no reason to sabotage or tear down others. Confident people encourage those around them rather than try to compete. Which brings me to my next point…
- Confident people compete with themselves. The are working to improve and be the best that they can be. They are competitive only in the sense that they want to be the best but they want to be the best by rising above the competition due to their own hard work – they aren’t paying attention to how they measure up to those around them as much as they are measuring their own growth.
- Confident people will admit when they are wrong. If you want to be the best that you can be and you are proven wrong, you would naturally adjust your view to make sense of the new information, rather than try to ignore or deny your error. In this same vein…
- Confident people own up to their mistakes. They take responsibility for what they did wrong and make amends. They understand just because they made a mistake this time, doesn’t mean that they won’t be right the next time.
- Confident people are generous. Rather it be with resources, information, time – they know that they will be doing just fine, so why not help others as well.
- Confident people share what they are up to but they don’t brag. If someone asks what you are up to or what you did today, tell them. That’s why they asked! If you accomplished something or have an upcoming event, mention it and then go into more detail if the other person seems interested. Bragging is annoying, yes, but there is nothing wrong with sharing your success.
- Confident people listen and celebrate other peoples’ successes. They know that the success and happiness of others adds from, rather than detracts from their own.
- Confident people listen. They take criticism and suggestions seriously but they don’t let others opinions control what they do. They make informed decisions but at the end of the day it’s their own decision.
- Confident people aren’t afraid to laugh at themselves. Besides, if you laugh at yourself you will never run out of material.
- Confident people take compliments graciously, they know that to throw away a compliment is not only an insult to themselves, but to the person who gave the compliments.
In other words just be self aware. Be yourself – you are awesome. Encourage yourself and the people around you. Arrogance, hubris, being “stuck-up” are all not-so-nice character traits to have – but a little confidence never hurt anyone. On the contrary, I think it’s helped quite a few people out.
