Can You Really Train To Be More Confident?

Is confidence intrinsic to the human condition? Is this elusive confidence something we can capture?

Photo by Drew Colins

Have you ever raised to a challenge without really thinking about it? You walk into a room and you just know what to say and how to say it, and you come across as charming and convincing, and you’ve never really felt this way, but it’s happening right here and right now. Two minutes after you’ve left the room, your mobile phone rings: you’ve got the job.

The same goes for any sport we may have practised. Sometimes we approach the goal and we just know what to do, we know we will score. It is extremely hard to define, but this form of almost preternatural confidence does exist.

You have it. I have it. I am sure the most insecure person has it. Deep within us, there is an uncharted pool of confidence, confidence that we can do it, whatever it is we aim to do.

This confidence isn’t borne out of a pep talk or an affirmation; it is intrinsic to our being, essential. You feel it, like a forcefield around you, and you know you’re winning this, and then it’s gone.

It’s a fleeting confidence. It’s elusive.

High performers naturally know how to tune into it.

Most of us will have to train to recognise it, to acquaint ourselves with it, to befriend it. And then we’ll have to work even harder to keep in touch.