Building Conscious Confidence (plus a Strengths Booster!)
Today I’d love to talk about confidence, that intimidating but essential piece of ourselves that can shape so much of our day-to-day and long-term life experiences. They say a large part of talent is hard work, and similarly, a big part of confidence is simply identifying natural abilities and amplifying them (sound familiar?).
Beyond just confidence, I want to talk specifically about Conscious Confidence, which is the state of being in your flow when you’re aware of your skills and clear on how to apply them. Doing that requires three things: an awareness of your Strengths, practicing and building them up regularly, and, third, actively looking for opportunities to display that confidence. If that last part makes you nervous, you’re not alone. But don’t worry; I have some approachable, easy ways to go about this that I’m excited to share with you.
Strengths Boosters
When was the last time you thought about your Strengths? In today’s newsletter, I’d like to take a 10-thousand-foot view outside of your daily activities and refocus on your Strengths with some Strengths Booters. We’ll look at each domain, highlight what Strengths belong to it, and I’ll share an exercise to help you amp up your natural talents in that department.
Executing
This domain has a natural talent for knowing how to make things happen. These are the planners, doers, and achievers who know how to set their minds to a task and get things done.
Strengths in this domain include:
Achiever
Arranger
Belief
Consistency
Deliberative
Discipline
Focus
Responsibility
Restorative
Strengths Booster: Take a quick audit of what’s not working or needs a fresh approach in your work life. Whatever the area—time management, communication, project management, etc.—there are many great options today between apps or even a good old planner to help you explore new ways to systemize, organize, and get focused.
Influencing
This domain shines at amplifying messages and reaching broader audiences, whether that’s verbally or non-verbally. They like to inspire others and have a certain energy about them.
Strengths in this domain include:
Activator
Command
Communication
Competition
Maximizer
Self-Assurance
Significance
Woo
Strengths Booster: Where are you holding back? Talents in this domain have so much to offer, so go ahead and step into your influencing power. From joining a committee at work to finding opportunities to volunteer and give back, it's all about finding an outlet for your passion.
Relationship Building
This domain is all about connection and forming bonds with others. The Strengths in this domain radiate positivity and thrive when they’re cultivating authentic relationships and giving encouragement.
Strengths in this domain include:
Adaptability
Connectedness
Developer
Empathy
Harmony
Includer
Individualization
Positivity
Relator
Strengths Booster: Time to get social. Set up one coffee date with a client, team member, or someone you haven’t spoken with in a while. It’s a great way to connect and reconnect to build those relationships.
Strategic Thinking
This domain excels at sorting through information and navigating high-level concepts. They’re big thinkers who love to analyze, synthesize, and apply their learnings.
Strengths in this domain include:
Analytical
Context
Futuristic
Ideation
Input
Intellection
Learner
Strategic
Strengths Booster: What area of expertise or skillset are you curious about? Whether in the workplace or elsewhere, the Talents in this domain thrive when they take the time to learn and carve out time to fuel their curiosity, creativity, and strategic thinking skills.
Keeping your skills sharp and leaning into your talents is an evergreen Strengths Booster and an excellent way to boost confidence. The best part of the exercises above is that they’re easy to adopt as part of your regular work routine. I encourage you to get creative with these if there’s an additional layer of action that better tailors the exercise to you, go ahead and create ones all your own! Wherever you are on your personal or professional journey, I’d be honored to help co-pilot your growth and help you step into a more confident self.