Essay

Rebuilding Confidence

by Mary Andres Russell

Have you ever experienced a setback that undermined your confidence? Failure and setbacks are very common experiences and ones from which we can grow.

Early in my career in a brand new job, I was assigned the task of delivering a “Counseling Skills” seminar to a group of seasoned professionals. While I had observed my predecessor and studied the material, when I delivered the content, the presentation was lacking in depth and experience. And one of the seasoned professionals called the president of our company to complain. Ouch, that hurt! Over time and with many more seminars, I learned the ins and outs of the profession and eventually delivered excellent, engaging seminars. But I’ll never forget that first experience.

Everyone experiences times when their confidence is shaken. This can happen due to a bad experience, a negative comment, or simply a lack of self-belief.

Confidence is a key ingredient to success in life. It allows us to take risks, try new things, and achieve our goals. However, If you’re struggling with low confidence, don’t despair. There are many things you can do to rebuild your self-esteem and start feeling better about yourself. Confidence can be rebuilt through small victories, little by little getting better, learning more. Be patient and diligent. With 10 years or 10,000 hours of practice, you can master anything!