Self Confidence Creates Power

 How do you build self-confidence or self esteem? How did Donald Trump, Peyton Manning or Bill Clinton build it? Do you share anything with them?

If you feel like you are battling with your own self-confidence, it is time to take a look at some of the most confident people of our time. Confidence and high self esteem made them the successful people they are today, without it; they wouldn’t have climbed corporate ladders or been leaders in very public positions. They would have lived ordinary lives and it would have been such a waste of great talent.

Think about some of the very successful people in this day and time. Donald Trump, Peyton Manning and Ex-President Clinton, just to name a few. What do these people have in common with one another? They sure aren’t a bunch of pessimistic-thinking individuals. They are confident, successful leaders and people that carry power.

Donald Trump

"The Donald" has more confidence or self esteem than the whole New York Jets team. He is larger than life and seems to find a way to stay that way. Even after past financial devastations, the man just keeps coming back. What is it about him that makes him so capable of doing this? He is confident, almost to the point of arrogant, the man is most definitely impressed with himself, and that’s OK because he earned the right. His confidence has taken him to the very top of the corporate world. Even before his show, The Apprentice, everyone knew who he was. It’s a name that means business…..Trump.

Peyton Manning

The Manning name may have gotten him his very first public coverage from ESPN when he first went to the University of Tennessee, but "Peyton" is the name that everyone will remember. He is the most confident NFL Football Player on the scene today, and why wouldn’t he be? Peyton Manning had a fire in his eyes this year as the season began, there was no question, this was going to be his year to shine. If you like to gamble on football, bet on Peyton’s Indianapolis Colts, this man is not going to let his team lose. It’s a sure thing.

Bill Clinton 

Ex-President Clinton was and is still so likeable, that you will hear people from all walks of life refer to him as BILL CLINTON. With the exception of the news media, everyone just feels compelled to refer to him as Bill. Maybe it was because of the way he confidently stood in the Presidency or perhaps it was the way he became more like the average man once scandal after scandal rocked The White House, but one thing is for certain this man is Confidence.

Now you might ask, "what do these people have in common with me"? The answer would be: quite a lot. They all came into this world the same way you did and they put their pants on the same way you do. They just learned the power of confidence relatively early in life and decided to do something positive with it. They have overcome adversity and many challenges, but they always rise above and stand taller than ever before.

If you are having problems with your level of confidence or self esteem, find what it is that is stopping you from achieving the self-confidence you need to be all that you were meant to be. Empower yourself with confidence by reading stories of people that define it and then take control of your life and own it.

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet publisher. He runs the website 1st-Self_Improvement.net.

Terje is a Sociologist who enjoys contributing to the personal growth and happiness of others. He tries to accomplish this by writing about self improvement issues from his own experience and knowledge. 

                                                        "Your Self-Confidence Will Rise

                                     Dramatically, Absolutely...

                                       Your Credo Will Now Be,

                                                'I Can Do It!' "

The human brain is thousands of times faster and more powerful than the most advanced computer. It's always learning.

                                                  And you have one.

You have amazing abilities and resilience built into you through many centuries of evolution. You can achieve remarkable things. You have the power to summon empowering emotions and success producing actions through the power of your mind.

But unless you believe it...

...Unless your underlying core beliefs are that you can indeed handle most any situation you are faced with; and unless your typical first thought in challenging, difficult or new situations is "I can do this," then you will live a life of fear, devastating failures, pain and losses you never heal from, embarrassment, depression, anxiety, senseless worry and lame excuses.

And worse, no matter how many successes you enjoy in your life (big or small), because you also have your share of less than successful experiences (mistakes, failures, setbacks, delays), you will feel 100% justified in your self-doubts, in feeling helpless in many situations and in worrying about what horrible tragedy will befall you next. So medication or alcohol to the rescue! You justify your "I can't" lack of self-confidence in one word...

"Reality."

But your self imposed limits are not "real."

They're just dreams... perceptions. Just pitiful ways of seeing yourself.

What else could it be - when others, seemingly, with a whole lot less innate intelligence, skills, looks and "common sense" than you beat you in everything.

Where does it come from when someone with fewer resources keeps picking themselves back up after dozens of terrible failures to finally succeed?

It's self-confidence. Belief. Faith. Trust.

Yet confidence, faith and certainty are nothing but emotions that come from a way of "looking at" a situation.

And so are doubts, insecurity and skepticism.

But where does doubt come from and how can it be overcome?

In our research comparing people who live with faith in themselves, with self-assurance and conviction and those who, in many areas of their lives, are beset with hesitation, fear, and feeling victimized by life, there was nothing whatsoever to indicate that people who have little self-confidence have far fewer abilities, intelligence, physical gifts or opportunities than those who enjoy even the very highest levels of success in many areas of life.

And they had no greater challenges and tragedies.

Yes, of course, there are cases of extreme beauty, opulent family wealth, extraordinary physical speed/strength, remarkable intelligence or innate social abilities that can give people what appear to most as self-confidence early in life.

But interestingly, we also found that in those "lucky" people, their built-in advantages did little or nothing in helping them succeed (peace of mind you feel in doing your best) in their lives. Quite often they have no greater self-confidence in areas outside the ones they got "lucky" in.

Yup. Many of the most beautiful people are the shyest; most people with the greatest "God-given" physical abilities never come close to fully utilizing them; many high-level geniuses end up working in menial jobs; many of those born to great wealth can't even survive on their own without Mommy and Daddy's support.

And history books are absolutely full of stories of the most impoverished individuals with few or no special gifts who have risen up to be some of the most happy, healthy and successful people ever.

What this means, we found, is that no matter what happens to you in life, good or bad, it's how you think about it which determines what you do about it, that in turn builds (or kills) your overall personal self-confidence.

And when you don't feel capable, you don't have accomplishment...

...no matter what advantages you were born with.

What you could have in abundance, though, is fear, frustration, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, panic attacks, anger, envy, dishonesty, excuses, feeling stupid and incessant worry.

"So how does a person become a 'glass half-empty' person, a negative person, a person who always finds fault, a person who always finds a reason why something won't work, a shy person, someone, a depressed person, a person filled with fear at the most inopportune times?"