How confident are you? Conduct a self-assessment

Belief in yourself can play a big role in your success. One major reason is that confidence goes a long way in banishing those negative voices in your head saying you can’t do something.

Self-confidence, along with desire, is considered a key ingredient for the motivation that entrepreneurs need to get stuff done.

So how are you feeling about your confidence level?

If you think you have room for improvement, you have plenty of company across the U.S. and even all over the globe, according to the 2018 Amway Global Entrepreneurship Report (AGER). This was the eighth AGER commissioned by Amway and it’s based on interviews with nearly 50,000 men and women in 44 countries.

Take the survey

Consider how you would respond to the following AGER question: When you think of yourself, do you agree with the following statements?

• I consider starting a business as a desirable career opportunity for myself
• My family or friends could never dissuade me from starting a business
• I possess the necessary skills and resources for starting a business

If you confidently answered “yes” to most of these, you’re in line with most U.S. respondents.

Fifty-one percent say they had the desire to a start a business and 60 percent felt it was a feasible option in terms of their skill sets.

But when it comes to inner determination, just 46 percent were confident that they could be entrepreneurs even without the backing of family and friends.

Overall, U.S. respondents were more optimistic than the global average – although confidence in general was down a few points on the Amway Entrepreneurial Spirit Index (AESI) compared to the year before.

Boost your confidence

Maybe that is a sign we need to be more intentional about boosting our self-confidence.

Since confidence isn’t something we are born with, we need to develop it. Experts say we need to begin with our thoughts and follow through with our actions.

Ultimately, your confidence isn’t based on your actual ability to succeed at a specific task, but your belief in your ability to succeed, says Margie Warrell, bestselling author, coach and speaker.

She recommends these four strategies:

• Power pose. Start with your body: shoulders back, head up, smile, make eye contact and move with self-assurance.
• Channel your heroes. Think of someone you admire who exudes confidence. Imagine what that person would say or do in a situation.
• Focus on what you want. Your thoughts lead to actions. Put your attention on what inspires you, and you’ll feel more powerful.
• Mentally Rehearse. Visualization is an effective tool for building confidence. Imagine yourself speaking or taking action with confidence. This mental practice can make a big difference when you do it for real.

Confidence fuels motivation

Confidence creates resilience by helping you develop skills and coping methods to handle setbacks and failure. And, as your confidence grows, you’ll find yourself more driven to stretch your abilities.

Amway co-founder and philanthropist Rich DeVos believed self-confidence was key to his success. Not only did he exude confidence despite the odds, he spent his life buoying others with his trademark phrase “I believe in you.”

He understood the power that was unleashed when people had confidence in themselves.

In his bestselling book, “Hope from My Heart: 10 Lessons for Life,” he offered this insight:

“One of the most powerful forces in the world is the will of men and women who believe in themselves, who dare to hope and aim high, who go confidently after the things they want from life.”

So, how is your confidence level now? Leave a comment and let us know!