Ever wondered what it feels like to have healthy self-belief?
Imagine you're preparing for a job interview—a position you've been dreaming about for months. As you walk into the room, nerves fluttering in your stomach, you remind yourself of your qualifications, skills, and experience. Throughout the interview, you maintain a confident demeanour, answering questions with clarity and poise. Despite the uncertainty of the outcome, you refuse to let self-doubt creep in. Instead, you trust in your abilities and believe that you are deserving of this opportunity. Whether you land the job or not, your unwavering self-belief propels you forward, knowing that you gave it your best shot and that success will come in due time.
Self-belief is the unwavering faith in our skills, the inner strength that pushes us outside of our comfort zone, and the steadfast conviction that we can conquer any challenge that comes our way.
Unlike self-esteem, which is your overall evaluation of yourself, and self-concept (our topic next week), which refers to how you see yourself in various roles and contexts, self-belief is more specific—it's about generating confidence in your ability to succeed in particular tasks or endeavours. As we can imagine, believing in yourself to be capable of success increases your chances of actual success, and vice versa. For instance, what would have happened if you got overwhelmed by self-doubt and the uncertainty of the outcome of your job interview instead?
Now that we've clarified the distinction, here are some activities you can do to work on your self-belief:
Challenge Your Inner Critic: We all have that inner critic—the voice of self-doubt that questions our abilities and undermines our confidence. To nurture self-belief, you must challenge this critic that undermines your self-belief. Practise “listening” to your thoughts; take note of the automatic ideas that pop into your head and observe the way you speak to yourself. When you catch yourself thinking something negative, either write it down or take a moment to reflect on it. Whenever it whispers negativity, counter it with evidence of your prior accomplishments and affirmations of your strengths.
Create a "Bravery Board": Craft a visual representation of your courageous moments and achievements. Whether it's a collage of photos, inspirational quotes, or mementoes from past victories, your bravery board can be a tangible reminder of your strength and resilience. Display it prominently in your surroundings as a source of inspiration and empowerment. The more you visualise success, the more real and attainable it becomes.
Challenge Your Comfort Zone: Break free from the shackles of familiarity and embrace the exhilarating uncertainty of the thrilling. Engage in activities that push you outside your comfort zone, whether it's public speaking, solo travelling, or learning a new skill. With each new challenge conquered, your self-belief will grow stronger, and your confidence will soar.
Practise Accepting Failures: Convert your perspective on failure from a source of shame to something to be proud of. Accept your setbacks as valuable learning experiences and opportunities for growth. Make a "failure journal" where you document these “failures”, reflect on the lessons learned, and celebrate your resilience in the face of adversity. If you want to take this to the next level, consider immersing yourself in activities where you're likely to fall short. It might seem counterintuitive at first, but there's wisdom in deliberately confronting failure. After all, mastering the art of accepting failure can be just as transformative as mastering success.
"You don’t need to succeed to be proud of yourself and confident in your abilities." - Coleman (2017)
Finally, remember to practise self-care in this journey and you will see how valuable you are and feel more confident in your abilities. With unwavering self-belief as your guiding light, there's no limit to what you can accomplish in life. So, embrace your inner champion, and let your belief in yourself carry you to greatness.
Xin Yi Ng (Michelle)
Research & Development Lead