Notes on Confidence Enhancement

1. Confidence Enhancement
Confidence - What is it?
 Confidence is the belief in one’s own capability to accomplish a task and select an
effective approach to solve a problem.
 It includes confidence in one’s ability as expressed in increasingly challenging
circumstances and confidence in one’s decisions or opinions
Self confidence in action
People with high SC
 Trust their opinion even in the face of opposition
 Are decisive
 Take risks and try new things
 Have a presence
People with low SC
 Avoid confrontation with people
 Do not trust their judgment
 Hesitate to try new things
 Avoid challenges
 Unable to stand up for their rights

2. Self esteem, Self efficacy, Locus of control
 Self esteem: represents a global self evaluation. It is the extent to which people
like, respect and are satisfied with themselves
 Self efficacy: A person’s belief that she/he has the ability, motivation, correct self
perception to complete a task successfully. People with high self efficacy have a
can - do attitude.
 Locus of Control: a person’s general belief about the amount of control (s)he has
over personal life events. Individuals who think that events in their life are due to
fate or luck have an external locus of control whereas those who feel that can
influence their destiny have an internal locus of control. Internal locus of control
has been associated with better performance and leadership positions.
The role of heredity InSelf Confidence :
With building self confidence, there are two types of influence that are impressed
upon us in life. There is social heredity and physical heredity.
 Physical heredity is a collection of traits, physical appearances and habits passed
down from parents and grandparents that have a likely outcome of designed
behaviors in an individual.
 Social heredity comes from all sources and places through which a person
obtains knowledge, such as school, church, reading, video, story telling and word
of mouth conversation.
Physical heredity is able to be controlled more so as it relates to this subject,
however control of thoughts and action is more likely dependent on the effects of social
heredity.

3. Self confidence, arrogance and fear
 There is a actually a distinct difference between self confidence and arrogance.
 Arrogance is almost always a destructive behavior, while a nice dose of self
confidence can take a man or woman to heights almost unimaginable.
 If you are going to develop self confidence you must start with eliminating fear.
 Fear antagonizes the human soul. It speaks to man telling him, “You can’t do it -
you are not strong enough to make the attempt – you should worry of what
others may think – you will fail.”
 For those people who can master and eliminate fear, they will begin immediately
developing self confidence.
 As you continue to push your yourself and face your fear, the confidence within
you will grow
DEVELOPING AND ENHANCING SELF-CONFIDENCE
1. Develop a solid knowledge base.
2. Use positive self-talk. (Programs the mind with positive messages.)
3. Avoid negative self-talk (e.g., “I may be stupid but….”
4. Use positive visual imagery (imagine a positive outcome).
5. Set high expectations for yourself
6. Develop the explanatory style of optimists (problems are temporary).
7. Strive for peak performance (achieve flow or get in the zone ).
8. Bounce back from setbacks and embarrassments.
 Get past the emotional turmoil.
 Do not take the setback personally.
 Do not panic.

4.  Get help from your support network.
9. Find a creative solution to problem.
10. Believe in Yourself