The journey of leaving past pains behind and building genuine self-confidence requires courage. We can define courage as the ability to take action in the face of fear. That’s right, you actually need fear in order to do it! Going above and beyond your comfort zone isn’t easy, and it’s not meant to be, but it is rewarding. Courage is essential for any of us to make positive changes in our life. The good news is that you already have everything you need to courageously take on life’s challenges. There is only one more ingredient you need; hope.
If you can cast your memory back to the Matrix cinematic trilogy, hope is described as human beings biggest weakness, and also simultaneously it’s biggest strength. When harnessed correctly, hope is definitely your biggest strength.
Self-confidence is the faith, belief and trust in your decisions and judgements. It doesn’t mean you’ll always be right, it just means you believe you can be. The importance of this is huge, and it affects every area of your life – and it’s powered by hope. The more you feel capable, the more challenges you are willing to take on. The greater challenges you belief you can face, the more inspired you will be by your life.
How is this complicated thread of courage, hope, inspiration and self-confidence linked together? The answer rests with one more feeling, a feeling you can cultivate with a little bit of practice.
Curiosity.
Curiosity is such a powerful state. It is the precursor for hope. If you are in a curious state, you will be open to the reams of possibility. This means even if the odds are stacked against you, there is still a chance you’ll reach the outcome you want. You will persist despite set-backs.
Curiosity is the precursor to inspiration. When you are curious your brain engages, blood and oxygen moves towards your higher brain centres, necessary for planning and inspired visions. When filled with curiosity the negative voices and the self-criticism quiet down because you’re too focused on trying to satisfy your curiosity.
Curiosity is also the precursor to self-confidence. When you are more focused on the learning available and you can feel yourself taking steps forward with the content, you build self-confidence because you are on the pursuit of meaning. This is the single most effective way to build your self-confidence.
Back to the good news, every single human being can be curious. In order to spark off some curiosity you need to tap into that subject that piques your interest.
What did you love to learn about when you were younger?
What do you love to learn about now?
What is the common theme behind the books, television programmes and podcasts you engage with?
What is the common theme with the most inspiring moments of your life?
Using these clues, you can reconnect with your natural human curiosity; you can reignite your hope, your inspiration and your self-confidence. You can cultivate all the ingredients you need to be courageous and create the life that you want.
The power to change is fuelled by curiosity, and it is wielded through courage. You have an innate ability to do both, all you need is to give yourself permission to follow your passion.