New Year Resolutions

Will you be setting yourself a New Year’s Resolution?

“Do something different” is easy to say but difficult to do!

Our respective employers and may be our clients often claim it wants us to be innovative and creative, but may not necessarily welcome the associated risks.

In order to present new ideas and try new things, you sometimes have to have to challenge the so called “norm”. In “going against the tide”, you may have to risk pushing this new idea onto someone else. You sometimes have to risk your own security, reputation and self esteem.

With all this at stake, you can understand why we may often shy away from doing something different!

So what can you do? You need to be believe in yourself.

The following is 5 things you can do to increase your confidence.

1. Preparation! Preparation! Preparation! Anticipate what could go wrong and what you have done to minimise or prevent it from happening. Through competence comes confidence.
2. Visualise Success by thinking about what you want to achieve.
3. Ensure a balanced de-briefing recognising what you need to improve and what you did well.
4. Fake it till you make it. If the outside appears to be calm, polite and assertive, eventually your inner confidence will catch up.
5. Appreciate your strengths, experiences and achievements – See the glass ‘half full’ rather than ‘half empty’.

Now it is time to give it a go! Why don’t you practice by trying things you would normally not do.

The following is a list of things you could try to build up the confidence to do something different.

Best of luck and let me know how you get on.