Confidence 101

“This ain’t no tall order; this is nothing to me….Difficult takes a day. Impossible takes a week. I do this in my sleep.”  - Jay Z

The confidence it takes to proclaim near immortality is a trait worth being desired.  So many individuals are too shy to shout their dreams – or record them on tracks - from the rooftop because they lack true certainty that these visions will manifest.

Hey, you.  Yeah, you, the kid standing in the corner, back to the wall angled at a seemingly observatory stance….What are you really doing? You think you’re being patient, checking out the arena, scoping the competition and taking notes...but what you’re really doing is the ever clichéd “watching life pass you by.”

You’re covering your insecurities with the guise of developing yourself by learning from others. To have dreams and aspirations are a wonderful thing, however, if at some point in life we do not act on those desires, we may end up trapped in a world that doesn’t exist.  Think inception.

The driving force that moves us from a state of dreaming to doing is confidence - an outward proclamation sealed with the guarantee that what we plan to do will come forth with urgency and accuracy.  

At the front of the line of almost every industry in creative or professional arenas - especially when affected by a wavering economy - are hungry, ambitious individuals anxiously waiting to prove that they deserve a seat at the table.   

And the most confident of them all can tell you how they want their seat cushioned, how they would like to be dined and the table and  time allowance that they are willing to give in order to get this done.

These people, mind you, may not have had the greatest education from the most prestigious institution of higher learning.  They may not have years of experience at the most recognizable firm in the industry.  But  the overwhelming affirmation that they belong – with even the smallest knowledge and skills that they have acquired over the years – has the potential to get them farther than their counterpart with the credible resume.  

This is how confidence is underrated.  A master’s degree masked with insecurities cannot stand tall beside an entry level exuding assurance.

And confidence is not to be confused with flawlessness.  However, framing your confidence in that light is the best route. No, you will not excel at everything, every time, but being able to have the determination to figure it out, thus always keeping your end goal toward success, is imperative.

If you are in a place where a.) you think you may have the tools, but you’re unsure of your execution or b.) you’re afraid of what the competition might be, it is time to come out of your self-imposed hole of stagnance and put on a belt of confidence.  

The road to accomplishing our dreams is tough. Only the confident shall survive.