My definition of self confidence

Have you tried to google self confidence? The number of books/sites on the subject are unlimited. Personally I have read quite extensively on the subject...............how to build self confidence, 10 ways to instantly build self confidence etc etc.

I cannot really say what effect each of these articles/books have had on me. I certainly learned a couple of things out of each of them. I choose to expand my definition by taking a simple example.

I was playing monopoly for the second time of my whole life, the game started very badly for me. The first card I picked sent me to jail. The first few moves sent me back there again. In the meantime, the others were busy making money. I said to myself that I was done as all the most valuable properties were sold. I said to the others that no matter the bad start I still would have a reason to stay at the table, being the banker. I then landed on one of the train stations which I bought. On reading the title deed I quickly saw the potential. I luckily was able to buy a second station, then a third one and then bought the fourth one from another player and here I was making good bucks. While others were concentrating on buying land, I saw a niche and all the others were paying £200 for landing on one of my stations.

This was a practical course in what self confidence was all about. It meant that often things do not in the first place appear to be the way we want them to be, there are bad experiences, unforeseen circumstances. We cannot predict the future, we do not have the answers to all problems, we have not faced all possible experiences. Self confidence is about trusting ourselves and trusting life. Its about trusting out abilities, to be certain that whatever problems/ circumstances thrown to us, we would if need be go down within ourselves but will have what it takes to face it.

I am happy to be in a position to accept the above definition but I must say that the road to reaching such a conclusion has been long. I mean I have so many times (and I still do and will continue doing so) expose myself, so many times go beyond that comfort zone. The more you expand your comfort zone the more self confident you become. There is still a long way to go, its an endless fight but I believe that when you start trusting yourself, then you've come a long way already.

Tomorrow I resume work, I am back to the real life, I have identified what the 2011 challenges were. No doubt that others will crop up. I am standing tall ready to face whatever comes my way, i'll find the force to face it.

I came accross this quote, I really like it:-

Promise yourself, no matter how difficult the problem life throws at you, that you will try as hard as you can to help yourself. You acknowledge that sometimes your efforts to help yourself may not result in success, as often being properly rewarded is not in your control.