Confident People Do 3 Things At Work To Put Themselves First Without Caring Who They Annoy
Amar Preciado | Canva Building confidence at work isn't just about feeling good about yourself. It's about learning to put yourself first and stop shrinking just to keep others comfortable. Confident people trust what they bring to the table, even if it doesn't make everyone happy.
Confidence doesn't show up overnight. It's something you build over time by changing how you think, act, and respond. It's a constant work in progress that starts with your mindset and your relationship with yourself. If you've ever struggled with self-doubt or held back to avoid bothering someone, you can use a few simple habits to put yourself first without worrying what others might think.
Confident people do three things at work to put themselves first without caring who they annoy:
1. They face their fear instead of waiting to feel ready
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The best way to overcome any fear you have at work is to get on and smash through it. Fear is a natural response to a situation that causes us to either fight through something or run away from it. Exposure therapy research shows that facing what scares you, rather than avoiding it, is one of the most effective ways to reduce fear over time.
Grab a piece of paper and answer these questions:
- What is the worst that could happen if I did do it?
- What is the worst that could happen if I didn't do it?
- What am I sacrificing by not doing it?
- How will I feel after I have done it?
2. Confident people focus on being real, not perfect
Did you know that most of our communication is done through our body language? Research by psychologist Albert Mehrabian found that people rely heavily on these nonverbal signals when interpreting meaning, especially in emotional conversations.
At work, you may have had a conversation with someone who insists they are telling the truth, but you don't resonate with what they are saying. This is because we use our intuition to communicate. People are much more forgiving if you are open and honest and show a little vulnerability because authenticity creates connections.
So whether you are selling a product or service in your business, or selling yourself into a job, try to be honest, have a sense of humor, and not take things too seriously.
3. They treat mistakes as feedback, not failure
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This is one of my favorite throwbacks to start-up clients when they beat themselves up for having fluffed an important opportunity. Never overlook the chance to discover what you could do differently.
Research by psychologist Carol Dweck shows that people who treat mistakes as learning opportunities (what she calls a "growth mindset") are more likely to improve and succeed over time. Without the odd curveball, we could not learn and grow. After all, challenges are there to help us evolve.
Whether you squirm at the thought of standing up in front of a big crowd and talking about yourself or selling yourself on a one-to-one basis, there are always things you will be better at next time.
So, love who you are right now because there is never failure, only feedback. There's no such thing as perfection.
Caroline Rushforth is a certified NLP coach and life coach with over 10 years of experience helping women who are overwhelmed with worry, negative thoughts, and low self-esteem.
