“If you can’t feel it on the inside, it will never show on the outside.” – Darren Hardy

Confidence and I have had a contentious relationship.

When I was young, there were times when I had ZERO confidence.

I was AFRAID for every BIG event of my little life.

As I got older, there were times I was full of false confidence.

I lost out on awesome opportunities.  I got beaten by challenges I was not prepared to take on.

Today, my confidence is HIGH.

I learned that real confidence can be created.

The process is simple, but not easy.

Rock solid confidence is a byproduct of 3.5 elements:

• 1) AWARENESS
• 2) COURAGE
• 3) FOCUS
• 3.5) PREPARATION

Everything starts with AWARENESS.

You need a feedback loop.

You need a person in your life that is not afraid to challenge you when you step out of line.

You need someone with the COURAGE to call you out when you give less than your best effort.

You need someone who makes your life uncomfortable when you are not living up to your potential.

Insecurity begins to grow when these systems are not in place.

Insecure people lack confidence.  Insecure people fall apart when they are confronted with hard truths.

The confidence building process is wrapped in thick skin.

Confidential Idea: When someone you trust tells you that your actions are not in line with expectations – do not get defensive.  Do not argue.  Thank them!

Embrace their feedback.  They are giving you a gift.

Jim Rohn says, “If you want to have more, you have to become more.  If you want things to get better, you must get better.”

This process requires COURAGE.

This process requires you to leave your comfort zone 

Begin where you are.  Start with what you have.

FOCUS on making slow, steady progress each day.

Ever meet a person with anxiety?  Chances are that person feels inferior to take on the challenges in front of them.  They feel they are not PREPARED.  

The AVERAGE person spends more time updating their Facebook status and watching Dancing with the Stars than they do preparing for the challenges that will cause them to reach for their Ativan bottle the next day.

Anxiety is your mind telling your body that you are not ready.

CONFIDENCE Building Idea:

• Put down the Ativan.
• Define your most important project.
• Get up an hour earlier.
• Prepare.

Confidential Secret:  Preparation eats anxiety for breakfast.

• Have the AWARENESS to confront reality.
• Have the COURAGE to hear the truth.
• FOCUS on getting a little better each day.
• PREPARE your way past ANXIETY.

When you do this, you will have the CONFIDENCE to walk past AVERAGE and run with the REMARKABLE.

– Joe Ciccarone

“Life Confidential”