If you think you need confidence before you can achieve your goals, think again. Confidence comes from having the courage to try new things, get it wrong and try again. The more you have the courage to put yourself out there, the more confidence you’ll gain.
To reach your goals and gain confidence you need to drop the ‘have, do, be’ approach, and adopt the ‘do, be, have’ strategy.
With ‘have, do, be’ you believe that you need to have confidence before you can achieve anything great. This way of thinking is backwards.
Instead, focus on being courageous enough to practice hard moves in easy water. Yes, you’ll mess up along the way, and that’s OK. When you are being courageous, you don’t let setbacks define you.
Courage comes before confidence, because it’s your courage that allows you to be empowered in order to do the things that build your confidence. If you don’t have the courage to try or be vulnerable, then nothing changes.
Journaling exercise
Think about the first day you started paddling. Remember the feelings of uncertainty, nerves, excitement etc… Write down what you remember from that experience.
Then write down paddling moments, days and experiences since then when you felt that your skill and/or confidence grew. Note what you were focused on and how it felt.
When you look at what you’ve written realize that you have been courageous and gained confidence several times in the past. If you did it then, you can do it again.
Notice that it took you being courageous and focusing your attention on your practice to gain confidence.
I typically don’t advocate for bringing your past into your future, however, I recently discovered this exercise in a book called 10X is Better Than 2X, and it reminded me of all of the gains I have made in mindset, paddling, leading and business throughout my career.
It is giving me the confidence to be courageous again at this new stage, which in turn, will build more confidence.
Surround yourself with courage and confidence
Remember that one of the most powerful strategies for being courageous is to surround yourself with courageous people who support you in being courageous.
I can’t say enough about how important this is, and it’s a big part of the vibe I strive to create in my own life and in my programs both on and off water.
If you’ve been wondering where to start with building courage and confidence I invite you to take a solid step in the right direction and join the Mind Body Paddle Community. You save $50 when you join before Sept 1st. Come join a community of over 130 courageous women. Be courageous, gain confidence. CLICK HERE to subscribe.
