by Faith Monson
www.FaithMonson.com
If you doubt your climbing ability, you probably wouldn’t set off to scale Mt. Everest. Taking on such an epic challenge requires lengthy physical preparation, a fair amount of money, and—crucially—the confidence to believe success is possible.
I’ll probably never climb Everest, not because I lack confidence, but because mountain climbing just isn’t on my “bucket list.” But as a success coach, I help my clients climb the mountainous obstacles that get in the way of reaching their full potential. Sherpas are the guides that help people climb Everest, and in a way, my work makes me a Sherpa of sorts, guiding my clients up difficult paths to reach a summit of a different kind. And, as with Everest, the confidence to believe success is possible is an essential for success.
Confidence is especially important when it comes to marketing your business. A business owner who is confident that he provides a quality product and a good solution wants to tell everyone about his services because they meet a need. That’s not bragging—that’s good business. Look at it this way—if you know that your product or service will make life better for your client, why wouldn’t you want to tell them and be of help? That’s what marketing is—sharing a solution to solve someone else’s problem.
Here are three tips to increase your confidence:
Tip #1: Focus on the solution. Think about how your product or service meets a need or solves a problem. If you believe in your product, you won’t have time to be self-conscious. Your enthusiasm will shine through as natural confidence.
Tip #2: Remember your passion. Find the elements you love about your work. We naturally become more energized and confident talking about something we’re passionate about.
Tip #3: Take confidence one step at a time. Feeling shaky about a big change? Don’t try to take it on all at once. Break a big plan into many smaller steps—maybe as small as micro-tasks you can achieve in ten minutes each day. Mastering each small step gives you confidence to take the next step—and the next. Before you know it, you’ve reached your goal!
A confident business owner will be able to share that confidence with prospects to help them reduce their fears and answer their questions. Confidence grows with proof of competence—that’s called empowerment. Belief in yourself empowers you, and your confidence in your solution empowers your clients.
