Ambika Vasudev

Confidence Mantras Ambika Vasudev

As a career counsellor, I have met thousands of people throughout the course of my life. I've seen extremely successful people lead their lives as if they were born to rule the world. They knew what they wanted to do. And they went after it with everything they had, heart, mind and soul. There's one characteristic that sets successful people apart from others. Makes them stand out like lions amidst a herd of sheep. It's easy to spot them, thanks to that unmistakable aura. What is that quality? I've had many people write to me. They express their fears, lack of self-esteem. They tell me how they shiver at the thought of addressing people. Whether it's a public speech or a social gathering, fear grips them and prevents them from doing anything else. Some of my friends also have the same problem. Not that they don't work hard. No. They give everything they have. Yet, they struggle to become successful. So, what is that quality that separates successful people from others? You guessed it. It's confidence. I've observed that most people are willing to work and give it their best shot, but they lack confidence. What exactly is confidence, though? Is it some mysterious secret you can't possess? And why is it so hard to gain confidence especially when you need it the most? Well, confidence is a momentary emotion of clarity, certainty and control. Clarity of your thoughts, control over your mind, body and actions, and certainty for performance followed by commitment to your goal. Confidence is derived from "fidere" - from Latin, which means "trust". Simply put, confidence is about trusting yourself. Then why does that trust waver at times? Because confidence is not permanent. It's a momentary strength that needs to be practiced.