What confident people try not to do

Confidence is often shown as much in what we choose not to do as in what we do.

It’s helpful to understand the behaviours confident people tend to avoid, so you can notice where these patterns may be showing up for you and decide what you would like to change.

Remember, though, a person with high confidence is fallible like all of us and, despite their self-belief, they don’t always get things right.

What confident people try not to do

They don’t constantly compare themselves to others

As confident people are more comfortable with what they have in life, they are often genuinely pleased for other people’s achievements.

They don’t judge or criticise

They have less need to boost their self-esteem by judging or criticising others. This means they see little benefit in negatively commenting on other people’s behaviours.

They don’t worry too much about what others think of them

Confident people have self-belief and know that they are OK. As a result, they are more able to do what they think is right without relying too heavily on other people’s approval.

They don’t live in the past or the future

By living more in the present, rather than worrying about the future or regretting the past, they are able to enjoy the moment more fully.

They don’t rely on other people’s validation

A confident person trusts their own opinions and decisions, so they don’t need to ask others for constant validation. They may value other people’s opinions, but in the end they go with their own judgement.

They don’t ruminate or overthink

Confident people know that overthinking and repeatedly analysing a problem can lead to confusion and anxiety. Instead, they try to keep their mind clear and shift their focus to something more helpful.

Which of these behaviours do you notice in yourself, and which do you already tend to avoid?

If you would like to work on becoming more confident, I suggest you focus on one of the points above. Start to build your awareness of the situations where this behaviour shows up and how you feel when it does. By understanding the circumstances and feelings that trigger the behaviour, you will be better able to challenge yourself and make a different choice.