Confidence is an essential trait for anyone to have when it comes to being capable of achievement.
It is interesting to see how many people go through life without having a lick of confidence in who they are or what they're potentially capable of achieving.
Having confidence is a foundational trait that must be built through ones ability to commit to things and follow through on their commitments.
It must be understood that insecurities are much easier to develop than confidence.
It is a common theme for humans to naturally take the path of least resistance and how one lets things effect them is going to determine if they have built enough strength to become confident, or fall victim to their own insecurities.
It takes work to be able to identify your own insecurities and the more aware you can become of your own weaknesses and turn them into strengths, the more you become capable and the more you open yourself up to positive reinforcement.
I have found that confidence takes a lot of work and there will be times in the process where insecurities will get the best of you, but being able to delay gratification is ultimately where one realizes their potential and their ability to achieve things.
As a man, it is essential to be confident and committed to everything that we do if we are ever going to be strong and willing to endure more.
Pressure and pain is where the beauty lies - diamonds are created under pressure for a reason.
To become valuable, you must be willing to go through things that pressure you to quit or keep going.
So, without further ado, these are my five steps to building confidence:
Step One: Get in Shape
Getting in good physical shape is the very first step and the single best way to learn how to build confidence.
Being in good shape is something that every single one of us can control and being able to practice that self-control on a daily basis for the sake of your own health is essential for not only your physical health, but your mental health as well.
The ability to push through pain to grow your body will grow your mind because the mind and body work together as one - the body is the car and the mind is the driver.
This doesn't go without mentioning that in order to be in peak physical shape, you must have pure intentions behind your reasoning for wanting to be in shape.
If your intention is just to look "hot" so that you can get attention, you will never be satisfied with your results and it will end up taking more of toll on your mental health in the long run.
If your intention is to get in the best physical shape for the benefit of having a stronger mind, you will achieve the results you are looking for.
Step Two: Set Goals
Goal-setting is the very beginning of the confidence building process.
Having a clear vision as to what you wish to achieve will mentally start prepping you for the next step to come.
I cannot stress enough the importance of having a clear vision as to what you wish to achieve.
Today, it is very easy for people to consume things online as to what they think they want to achieve without having the vision of the thing they actually want.
Having a vision of a goal and being able to see it in your minds eye is what will allow your brain to start taking the necessary steps to figuring out how to achieve the thing that you envisioning.
This directly builds off of step number one.
If you set a goal for yourself to gain 10lbs of muscle and you go into a gym with a clear vision in mind your brain will begin to start wiring itself towards the thing you have in mind, all you have to do is show up and do the work.
Step Three: Take Action
Taking action is the single most important step when it comes to building confidence.
It is easy for someone to consume something and sit there and wish for it to happen.
It is hard to actually go out and work for the thing that you wish to achieve.
Your dream body isn't going to build itself. You can sit there and fantasize about losing the weight or toning up but if you never step foot into a gym, you will never achieve the body that you want.
With social media, it is very easy for people to consume what everyone else is doing and think that they want the same things but without ever actually having to work for it.
People just assume things because consumption takes the path of least resistance.
You must be able to set a goal, make a plan, and begin to take action to build confidence.
Confidence is built through action in pursuit of something and if you can have a clear vision and take action towards your vision, you will begin to build confidence along the way if you don't give up...
Step Four: Delay Gratification
The ability to delay gratification in my opinion is to never give up on your goal or vision.
Along the way, there are going to be roadblocks and the path you take may not exactly be the path it takes to get to your end goal, but that is why it is important to be able to delay gratification.
People want things NOW when that isn't the reality of how the world works.
When people have things easy, it breeds entitlement and these types of people never learn to build confidence - they become insecure.
Being able to understand that you aren't going to wake up tomorrow with everything you want is the fuel that will keep you going and pursue whatever mountain you are in the process of climbing.
It took me nine years to wake up with the body that I truly wanted.
It took years of mental and physical stress until I finally woke up one day and realized that I had achieved what I first set out to achieve.
Eleven years later, I realize that there are no days off and I will continue to set new goals and continue to find new mountains to climb.
Step Five: Consistency
Consistency is the glue that holds everything together.
Consistency in your actions towards your goals is the only thing that will keep you motivated to work harder and do more.
Showing up every single day and doing the things you don't want to do but knowing that you have to do them anyway is how one builds confidence.
It is the act of always showing up to work towards something that truly changes the way one looks at themselves.
Being committed to the process is how you become strong.
Understanding that you were not meant to win every battle but knowing that you can and will win the war is built through consistency.
If one wishes to be successful in anything, they must be willing to show up and work for the thing they wish to achieve everyday so that they can continue to prove to themselves and everyone around them that they are who they say they are.
These five steps, when executed correctly, will forge any human into becoming a strong and willful being.
It does not go without mentioning that the unsung hero in the confidence building process is having pure intentions.
I believe that having pure intentions in anything that you do is the only thing that truly suits the human spirit and ensures that you live a life of fulfillment.
It is important that we do things to become better and stronger versions of ourselves for the benefit of something larger than ourselves.
Having confidence is being able to provide genuine value to others while being able to be proud of yourself at the end of the day.