The Confidence Factor: 4 Things to Understand About Confidence

Confidence is something that many people have and many people don't. I tend to fall under the category of people that don't. So, I understand how precious confidence is but also, how hard it is to achieve.

Here are the things I believe people should understand about confidence.

1. Confidence is made not bred

We don't come out of our mothers wombs confident, it's something that we become over the course of our lives. Every human interaction we have, every life challenge we face, every word said to us, all of that is what helps shape who we are going to be. Some will be lucky and have enough good things to help build confidence and let them continue on that way until adulthood. Others won't be so lucky and everyday their self-esteem will lessen and lessen and they'll have to work hard to be become the confident person they want to be.

So, confidence isn't this easy thing to have because it's not bred in us. It's made through our life experiences and encounters.

2. Confidence is the equivalent of liquid courage

I know this one may sound stupid but they don't call alcohol "liquid courage" for nothing. I'm not a drinker but from what I understand alcohol helps you let your guard down and lowers your inhibitions which gives you the courage to do things you normally wouldn't do stone cold sober. Confidence (in a way), is kind of the same thing. All confidence does is give you the ability to potentially do things the rest of us may have a hard time doing and the ability to not internalize things or take them personally.

3. Confidence that is lost can always be found

Just because someone isn't confident now doesn't mean they never will be. I work everyday towards being a confident individual and being the person I want to be, instead of the one my life experiences turned me into. But just because I'm not doesn't mean I never will be or that I'm not striving to be. Everyone has the ability to believe in themselves it's just some of us have to work a little harder at it than others.

4. Confidence doesn't make you invincible

I get the impression that people think that all confident people are like Clark Kent Superman and are completely indestructible. However, just because your strong and have no fear doesn't mean you can't be taken down. Even Superman had a weakness to kryptonite the one thing that could knock him down fast and take him from strong to weak. Well for the confident people their weakness would be life. This may sound horrible but there are bad things in this world that can happen to a person that are stronger and more powerful than confidence will ever be. Things that could take you from strong to weak and make you have to build your confidence up all over again.

I say this because confidence is seen as a superior thing to possess, but it's not superior. We are all human, confident or not, and life in one way or another can always change who we are. Confidence is great but it's not an indestructible quality.