• Home
    • About Us >
      • The Presentation Pros
      • Deborah Darling
      • Anne Stevens
    • Contact Us >
      • Workshops Sign Up
  • Programs
    • Online Courses >
      • Body Language
    • The Art of Presentation
    • College Graduates
    • Executive Edge
    • Straight Talk
    • Persuasive PowerPoint
    • Poised for Power
    • Motivation Through Relaxation
    • Mastering the Art of Business Attire
    • Team Presentations
    • Lunch And Learns
  • Keynote
  • Resources
    • Coaching
    • Podcasts
    • Books & Audio
  • Blog
  • Store
    • Coaching Packages
    • Speaking Packages
    • Books by Deborah Darling >
      • Dress to Look Your Best
      • PRESENT: 7 Keys to a Powerful, Persuasive Presentation
      • Upsizewoman in a Downsize World
    • Presentation Exercises by Deborah Darling
    • Guided Meditation MP3's
    • Corporate Gifting >
      • Speaking Packages
  The Presentation Pros

Talent or Confidence— Which Would You Choose?

4/13/2015

0 Comments

 
Talent or Confidence?
Henry Ford once said “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right.”  I have seen many people with lots of talent but no confidence go places in this world while other people with far less talent skyrocket to fame and fortune. Nine times out of ten the differentiating factors are confidence and persistence, which go hand in hand. When someone is confident they stay focused on the prize.

All confidence is not created equal. Insecure people will often put on a mask of confidence that projects itself in an entirely different fashion. This mask cannot be maintained for long before someone is able to pierce the veil of illusion. Genuinely confident people inspire others with their confidence and make things happen. 

The University of Melbourne conducted a recent study and found that confident people are promoted more rapidly and earn higher wages. Real confidence has a huge impact on how you are perceived by the world. Marcus Garvey said "With confidence, you have won before you have started.”

The mind is a powerful machine. Thoughts create our emotions, emotions create our actions and our actions or lack thereof, create our reality. Thoughts create verbal, visual and behavioral choices for the positive or the negative.  The importance of the thoughts we think and the words we use cannot be underestimated. Genuinely confident people send out visual, verbal and behavioral cues that let people know they have a “can do” attitude. They can and will find a way to get the job done and won’t give up until it’s done and done right. Their confidence exudes credibility and inspires others with the confidence that they can and will do what they set out to.

So what sets truly confident people apart from others? According to Dr. Travis Bradberry, the award-winning co-author of the #1 bestselling book, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, confident people possess the following qualities:

1. They Get Their Happiness from Within
In order to be confident in what you do, you have to be happy with who you are. Happiness is a critical element of confidence.

2. They Don’t Pass Judgment
Confident people don’t need to put someone down in order to feel better about themselves. They know everyone has something of value to offer and they don’t pass judgment.

3. They Don’t Say Yes Unless They Really Want To
Confident people have the self-esteem to clearly say “no”. They don’t mask their “nos” in transparent excuses. They are aware that saying “no” is healthy and affords them the time they need to work on the projects they are already committed to.

4. They Listen More than They SpeaK
Confident people spend more time actively listening to others. They listen more than they speak.

5. They Speak with Certainty
Confident people are more assertive and speak with conviction.

6. They Don’t Seek Attention
Confident people don’t have anything to prove. Their confidence speaks for them. They know that being yourself is much more effective than trying to prove your importance. They are masters of diffusing attention. “When they’re receiving attention for an accomplishment, they quickly shift the focus to all the people who worked hard to help get them there. They don’t crave approval or praise because they draw their self-worth from within.”

7. They Aren’t Afraid to Be Wrong
Confident people aren’t afraid to share their ideas and opinions. They know that if they are not correct, they will have learned something either way. “Self-assured people know what they are capable of and don’t treat being wrong as a personal slight.”

8. They Stick Their Necks Out
Confident people don’t spend time worrying about everything that can go wrong when an opportunity arises. They tackle the opportunity full speed ahead.  They know that if they don’t try, they can’t succeed.

9. They Celebrate Other People
Confident people have no need to steal the spotlight from others. They draw their self-worth from within which allows them to focus outward and see what others bring to the party. Confident people praise others for their contributions.

10. They Aren’t Afraid to Ask for Help
Confident people know their strengths and weaknesses. They know that asking for help in those areas where they are weak shows strength. They also seize the opportunity to learn from someone with greater expertise in an area they could use improvement in.

Confident people focus on what they want. They keep a positive vision in their mind of the outcome they wish to achieve. They make sure they are sending out credible messages visually, verbally and behaviorally at all times. They don’t allow themselves to be taken off track by others. They aren’t afraid to fail. They know that failure will teach them something as well. And lastly, genuinely confident people possess humility. They are more interested in talking about the successes of others than their own. More interested in giving praise to those who helped on a project they brought to fruition than expounding on what they brought to the project. They let success speak for itself.

Lots of people are born with beauty and talent but if they don’t believe they are beautiful and talented they will not carry themselves in a manner that exudes the confidence they need to let the world see them in their true light. We all aspire to being confident. This is proven by all the people who attempt to create the illusion of it. Try incorporating some of the above characteristics into your life and you too may become more confident.

By the way, a good method to gain more confidence is to create a Gratitude Journal and an Accomplishment Log. Write down 100 things you are grateful for and 100 accomplishments you have already achieved in life. They don’t have to be large. Confidence begins with small steps.

Debbie Darling, ©2015 The Presentation Pros
Read more of The Presentation Pros blog HERE.

Deborah Darling is the owner and president of The Presentation Pros, a soft skills training company empowering people with the skill sets to deliver their message with power and persuasion. She is a professional development coach, international best-selling author, speaker and trainer. To book a training or keynote go to HERE.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.


    Phone:  216-501-2814

    Join Our Mailing List
    Picture

    Deborah Darling

    Deborah Darling is a professional development coach, trainer and an internationally acclaimed best selling author and speaker. She is an expert in the fields of personal image, self-esteem, personal growth and development. She is the author of five books, including Upsize Woman in a Downsize World™, the international best seller Dress to Look Your Best: Fashion Secrets the Experts Don't Share and her new book PRESENT: 7 Keys to a Powerful, Persuasive Presentation. She conducts powerful, provocative workshops on all aspects of communication and personal growth and transformation. She has trained for many Fortune 500 companies in all aspects of communication and empowers her clients with the skill sets to deliver their messages with power and persuasion.
    From 1997-2002 she was the national spokesperson for the largest retailer of women's plus size fashions in the world. In addition, she's been an on-camera and voice over personality for some of America's best known companies, and has appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including Hard Copy, The Richard Simmons Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Debbie is a facilitator for both Jack Canfield's self-esteem seminars and Dr. Teri Mahaney's Change Your Mind program.

    The workshops she conducts give her the opportunity to use her skills in helping her clients identify their greatest strengths and provide them with tools to achieve their full potential. She loves to help people find their voice and gain an open, confident credible presence. Debbie's ability to recognize and build on others' fundamental strengths provides immediate results for her clients. She looks forward to working with you to achieve your goals.

      FREE PowerPoint Tip Sheet

      PowerPoint Tip Sheet
    Download NOW!

    Categories

    Attitude
    Self Esteem
    Presentation Skills
    Business Etiquette

    Books
    by Deborah Darling

    Picture
    PRESENT - 7 Keys to a Powerful, Persuasive Presentation by Deborah Darling
    Dress To Look Your Best - Fashion Secrets the Experts Don't Share by Deborah Darling

    Archives

    May 2017
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013


    Women In Motion Business Grouup



    NetworkedBlogs
    Blog:
    Training To Go The Distance
    Topics:
    Training, Personal Executive Coach, Presentation Skills
     
    Follow my blog


The Presentation Pros™ Copyright 2013 - 2020  ©. All Rights Reserved. Website designed by MC Design & Services, LLC.

Photos used under Creative Commons from therichbrooks, Cea., nogek, jeff_golden, fauxto_digit, Celestine Chua, timlewisnm, tgratton77, LornaJane.net, mikemol, Long Zheng, wizardofozgurl, Robert Couse-Baker, Joybot, "Whiz, Hometown Beauty