Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in a loop of self-doubt, unable to break free? Are you tired of watching opportunities slip by because you lack the confidence to grab them? What if I told you that the key to unlocking confidence lies in understanding how your beliefs play an important role? Let’s dive into how your beliefs could be keeping you stuck.

What is confidence anyway?

Confidence is like having a secret power that fuels you to take on challenges, try new things, and to bounce back when life throws you a curveball.  It’s that voice inside saying “You got this.”  It’s the unwavering belief in your capabilities. Without it, doubt and uncertainty can creep in causing you to hesitate and procrastinate. It can even impact your overall well-being and lead to stress and anxiety. Confidence is the cornerstone of your personal and professional growth, empowering you to become the best version of yourself.

How do beliefs impact your confidence?

Imagine your beliefs as the soil for growing the tree that is your confidence. Just like nutrient-rich soil gives life to your tree, your beliefs about yourself feed the roots of your confidence. Your beliefs shape how you see yourself and your sense of worth.

As humans, we take actions based on what we believe about ourselves. When you’re an entrepreneur, if you believe you’re not good enough, you’ll shy away from opportunities that might have propelled your business forward. These could be things like going to a networking event, writing an article, or accepting a speaking engagement.

The Connection between your brain and beliefs

How about some brain science on this? We know that your brain creates neural connections based on your thoughts and experiences. This is the physical aspect of your beliefs. You may have heard of the popular neuroscience phrase, thanks to Dr. Donald Hebb, “Neurons that fire together wire together.”

Think of your brain’s pathways as train tracks. If you’ve laid the tracks for self-doubt through consistently thinking you’re not good enough, then your thought train will by default travel down that track.  But when you repeatedly think that you have the skills (or can learn them) or that you can do the things that you want to do, you are physically wiring your brain to reinforce your positive self-view.

“The brain is a learning machine. When two neurons activate together or start talking to each other, the connection between them strengthens. Then, they’re more likely to have that same conversation again in the future.” - Minnesota Neuropsychology

Cultivating positive beliefs

The beauty of beliefs is that you have the power to shape them. Remember your tree of confidence? You can nurture its growth by tending to the soil around it. Thoughts are the building blocks of beliefs. If you can change your thoughts, then you can create new beliefs.

There are so many ways to cultivate positive beliefs! While I won’t get into all the techniques here, I’ll give you some easy ones.

Awareness. Start by becoming aware of your self-talk. Those little whispers of doubt or criticism? Practice noticing them. When you start noticing them, then you can challenge them. Is that thought really true?  If you find yourself thinking “I can’t do this,” you can then explore why you think you can’t do the thing and recycle that thought with something empowering like “I have the skills to do this” or “I am capable of learning.”

Evidence. Once you can come up with a better thought, look for evidence to support it. Here are a few ways to shop for evidence:

• Try thinking back to times in your life when you've overcome challenges or achieved successes.

• Research and gather real-life examples of individuals who have successfully embodied the belief you're trying to install. Read success stories, watch interviews, or listen to podcasts where people share their experiences related to this belief.

• Think about those times when someone patted you on the back, gave you a thumbs up, or said, 'Hey, great job!' It could have been about something close to the new thought you're aiming for. Positive feedback from others serves as external validation of your capabilities, reminding you that you’ve got what it takes.

Environment. You can also seek out environments (and people) that encourage growth and learning. When I started losing confidence in myself back in 2021, I joined Clubhouse, a social audio app, to find other life coaches and inspiration. I was quickly surrounded by positive people who uplifted and supported me. They also challenged me by inviting me to participate in their discussion rooms. It didn’t take long for me to regain my confidence in public speaking by renewing my belief that I was good enough.

The more you immerse yourself in positive experiences, the more your beliefs about your abilities and worth will flourish.

Confidence isn’t something you’re born with

Confidence isn't something reserved for a lucky few at birth; it's a mindset created and nurtured by the foundation of your beliefs. By understanding the link between beliefs and confidence, you gain a superpower in decision-making. Positive beliefs about your skills and business can lead to bolder choices and drive growth. Picture this: Your choices become bolder, and challenges start to look like opportunities.

Harness the power of your beliefs to build your confidence and propel your business forward.

Keep going. You got this. 💙