Confidence
Confidence lies within. Confidence is not an accomplishment or the desire to please others. Confidence is knowing what you want and having the courage to go after it with or without the approval of others. Confidence is the act of pursuing that which is in your heart knowing the end result is never the reward but the pursuit of inner strength.– Albert Castanon
What is confidence? I thought I was confident once. I made lot’s of money; was really successful; I had the respect of family, friends, co-workers… I was confident. My title, my watch, my car… that’s who I was… That’s how I rolled! Then I lost it all. Now, I don’t know if I ever had confidence. I know I had accomplishments, and the stuff that success buys, but confidence?
If you lost it all… job, money, your stuff… If you lost it all would you still have your confidence? Would you still be you? The question is important. These day’s you can lose your job, money, security… Would you be confident if the things that define you were gone?
I think we would all like to believe that our confidence comes from somewhere inside us and was not the result of external validation. Who knows? I guess it’s one of those questions you can’t answer with certainty until you experience it. I’ve lost it all. I lost all my possessions… I lost my confidence, self- worth, self-esteem and will to live. Today, I have confidence or working on it… I know I can lose it all… I did… but that doesn’t change me. I’m confident. I am who I am. I’m not ashamed of my life. I know who I am, and who I am today has nothing to do with the things I have (luckily because I don’t have much… thankfully I don’t need much).
If your confidence is based on what you earn, what you have, what you do, think about who you would be if you lost it all. You are so much more than what you have or any titles you hold. Do you know who you are? What can you do if you didn’t have all that you have?
I’m in a time of my life where starting this blog and going into a new direction in my career has put a financial strain. Will I give up? Do I believe it is possible to live the life of my dreams. Do I believe it is possible to be a successful coach, writer, speaker? I am successful coach, writer, and speaker! I’m working on the financial success part of that equation! I know who I am. I’m confident in who I’ve become, and now I hope to let others know and God willing, have a career where I could help others build the confidence they need to live the life they dream of.
