Let’s face the truth: no one is truly fearless. “Even I, as I was preparing for a speaking engagement, was told by a friend that she admired my fearlessness. However, the reality is that I do have fears – I just face them head-on,” says Sunny McGaw.
Regardless of their success level, everyone experiences fear, uncertainty, and a lack of confidence at some point. Confidence is not something we are born with; it is a skill that can be developed and mastered.
As someone who works with women entrepreneurs, Sunny has encountered high achievers who suffer from Imposter Syndrome and a lack of confidence, even in their areas of expertise. It seems to be a common phenomenon.
Working alongside Dr. Ivan Joseph, the Confidence Coach himself, Sunny has devised several confidence-building exercises that have proven effective for women entrepreneurs. Here are some of them:
- Keep it Positive/Believe in Yourself
Positive thinking can radically transform how we perceive ourselves and the situations we face. This does not mean donning rose-colored glasses or ignoring truths. Rather, positive thinking focuses on interpreting things to our advantage. We all have choices in how we think about the situations we face. Our thoughts influence our beliefs, and our beliefs influence our actions: Positive thinking leads to positive outcomes.
- Adopt The Mighty Growth Mindset
Here is the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset:
Fixed: “I can’t do it”.
Growth: “I can’t do it yet”.
With a fixed mindset, we believe that our abilities and talents are innate and cannot be developed. With a growth mindset, we believe we can cultivate our qualities and talents through hard work and determination.
- Build Your Squad
Surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed. We don’t achieve the things
that matter most on our own. As the saying goes, we can go faster alone but go further together.
We know we are greatly influenced by the five people we spend the most time
with. Not the five people we admire the most, but those most often in our company. Make sure that those five people support your personal and professional growth.
Pro Tip: Don’t pay attention to everyone. My rule of thumb is to only accept feedback from
people doing ‘better’ than me, or people I would trade places with.
- Manage Your Negative Inner Voice
“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” – Brene Brown
We all have that negative voice in our heads. The one that fills you with self-doubt and insecurities and reminds you of that time in Junior School when you called your teacher ‘Mom’.
I used to tell that voice to shush. I would try and try to shut it down and ignore it.
But then I realized that it is actually a friendly voice from a place far back in evolution
that is trying to keep me safe. Our lizard brain says: keep doing the predictable things! You
know they work! Don’t step outside of your comfort zone — that is where the saber tooths are!
Now, when the negative voice pipes up, I say, “thank you, I appreciate your wisdom and caring”,
and move on.
- Celebrate Small Successes
Acknowledging and celebrating your accomplishments is essential, no matter how small. Celebrating progress sets the tone for more wins throughout the day and helps you maintain a positive outlook.
- Kaizen: 1% Better
Biting off more than you can chew is a direct route to burn-out. Instead, try small chunks
towards continuous improvement.
Have you heard of Kaizen?
Kaizen is the Japanese term for ‘continuous improvement’. Unlike the traditional Western
mindset: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’ the thinking behind Kaizen is essentially: ‘We need to
constantly get better so that we can become and stay the best.’
- Focus on the Process, Not Perfection
Perfection is NOT synonymous with excellence.
In fact, perfectionists tend to suffer from higher stress levels than those who pursue
excellence through goal setting. It may surprise you that perfectionists don’t achieve
better results, either. Perfection is often a compensation for feelings of inadequacy. By contrast,
focusing on improvement builds skills and confidence at a healthy pace while producing better
outcomes.
In conclusion, becoming fearless is not the goal. The goal is to accept your fears and move forward with confidence. By practicing these exercises, you can 10x your confidence and soar to new heights in your personal and professional life.
For more information, connect to Sunny McGaw here.
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https://www.thesunnymcgaw.com/
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