How to Be Confident?

How to Be Confident?

Confidence is a feeling of trust in your abilities, qualities, and judgment. The American Psychological Association defines self-confidence as "a belief that one is capable of successfully meeting the demands of a task.¹
It can refer to a general sense of trust in your ability to control your life, or it might be more situation specific. For example, you might have high self-confidence in a particular area of expertise but feel less confident in other areas. Research suggests that confidence is important to health and psychological well-being.²
Having a healthy level of self-confidence can help you become more successful in your personal and professional life. Research has found, for example, that more confident people tend to achieve more academically.3 Your level of confidence even affects how you present yourself to others.
Ways to Be More Confident
Fortunately, there are several ways you can increase your self-confidence. Whether you lack confidence in one specific area or struggle to feel confident about anything, these nine tips can help you be more confident.
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
Do you compare how you look to people you follow on Instagram? Or maybe you compare your salary to what your friend earns. Social comparison theory explains that making comparisons is natural. But it isn't likely to help boost your self-confidence. It may even have the opposite effect. 
A 2018 study published in Personality and Individual Differences found a direct link between envy and the way we feel about ourselves.4 Specifically, researchers noted that when people compare themselves to others, they experience envy. And the more envy they have, the worse they feel about themselves.
How do you build self-confidence when you notice that you are drawing comparisons? First, remind yourself that doing so isn’t helpful. Everyone is running their own race and life isn’t a competition.
If you’re feeling envious of someone else’s life, it's also helpful to remember your own strengths and successes. Keep a gratitude journal to better recall the areas in life where you are blessed. This can help you focus on your own life versus focusing on the lives of others.
The Stress of Social Comparison