Stage 1 · Lesson 2 of 6
Confidence follows action
Most people wait to feel confident before they act: "I will speak up when I feel ready." The therapist and author Russ Harris puts it the other way round: the actions of confidence come first, and the feelings of confidence come later. You build confidence in presenting by presenting, nervously, many times.
Each time you act while uncomfortable, you collect evidence that you can cope, and the fear slowly shrinks. Waiting to feel ready usually means waiting forever, because avoidance keeps the fear fresh. This does not mean throwing yourself into the hardest thing first. It means choosing small, real actions you can do now, even with a racing heart.
Common trapreading nervousness as a sign that you are not ready, when it is usually a sign that the thing matters to you.
A question to check yourself and an AI practice session come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it
Resources for this stage
Start with· follow one of these
- VideoFreeThe Skill of Self Confidence (Dr. Ivan Joseph, TEDxRyersonU)
Dr. Ivan Joseph (TEDxRyersonU)
A coach on why confidence is a skill you build with repetition, not something you are born with
- VideoFreeThe Power of Vulnerability (Brené Brown, TEDxHouston)
Brené Brown (TEDxHouston)
Why being willing to be seen, imperfect, is at the heart of real confidence
Also worth your time
Struggling right now? If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, contact local emergency services or a crisis line: Find a helpline (any country), Umang (Pakistan), Tele-MANAS, 14416 (India).