Five tips to instantly boost your confidence at work

I run my own business and have done for 13 years, so I no longer have to answer to anyone.

However, I hear many complain they feel intimidated by their boss/colleagues/peers. I empathise as I too used to feel inadequate and insecure at work .

Do you ever feel...

• Worried you won't get offered the job/promotion/raise?
• Fed up with what your inner critic tells you?
• Too nervous to confront a difficult colleague?
• You'll get found out as you are not as smart or as qualified as your colleagues?

If so: you are not alone. A whopping 70% say they feel they would be further ahead in their career if they had more self-belief.  

Comparing ourselves to others is futile. Look in the mirror, that’s your competition.

In order to achieve our professional goals we have to boost our confidence.

How can you do this?

What we practise we become.

Here are my five tips: 

1. Reframe. Tell yourself a different story every morning on your way to work, before a meeting, before a presentation, before an interview. Say over and over with conviction; ‘I can and I will’

2. Change all your passwords and enter them manually so these words penetrate your cells - ‘I am bright, I’ve got it right’ or ‘every word is valued and heard’; or 'I am worthy of success'

3. Plan your conversations if you can. Speak strongly, but simply. Speak for success. By explaining, talking too much and justifying you under convince and lose all credibility.    

4. Ask colleagues/bosses/clients who speak highly of you to write a few lines about why they rate you. Print them out on an A5 sheet and then laminate it and keep it in a nearby drawer to read every time you lack confidence (keep a copy at home and put it somewhere you can see it each day).

5. Respond, react... what's the difference? It’s about three seconds. It's not a good look to dramatically display your feelings. Wear a coloured elastic band and ping it each time you are about to react or pinch yourself to remind yourself to pause.

By being aware, firing your inner critic and changing the story you're telling yourself, you will change your mindset and by doing so, will change your belief system.

You will reframe your negative self – talk to positive self-talk and this will help you to change your actions and behaviours and boost your confidence. 

Think of it like this...

If you keep telling yourself you are not good enough you will stay with that belief.  

I know. I used to do this all the time.

The crazy thing is people feel if tips and techniques are too simple they won’t work. The paradox is the only tips and techniques that have ever worked for me are the the simple ones. 

The secret is you have to apply them. 

Why?

It’s your time to shine.

Annie