Lack of confidence is one of those things that many of us suffer from. There are prople who sneak off to the back. There are others who shout to cover up insecurities. And some…well, they prefer not even to turn up.

Confidence building is a subject, which attracts bloggers. It is like procrastination, which I wrote about yesterday. So many people bark what you have to do, without every having been there. Consequentially, at the end of the day, the advice misses the mark.

For example, I refer you to a new article: “Learn the 7 secrets for building unstoppable confidence”. Yes, there are many good points here – not copying others, being focused, etc. But something is missing. Having been there – done that, it was obvious to me at once what the author should have added.

With hindsight, I was shy. I was also taught not to be pushy. So the two inertia merged handsomely. Worse followed as I began working in Israel, a very dynamic environment, where many push themselves forward. So I dropped back even further.

However, something changed. Actually, for me, there were two incidents, both with a similar ‘eureka moment’ attached to them.

First, I attended a seminar, addressed my boss at the time, who spoke badly on a subject, which I knew well, but everyone accepted his judgment. I said to myself: “I know better than this. If only I could find a way how.”

A few years later, I found myself listening to colleagues, who were trying to destroy a classic business model for coaches and mentors. I was convinced they were wrong, and immediately realised two things. I did not need to waste my time arguing with them. If I was able to do it by myself, I could just go right ahead without asking for anybody’s permission. that is what happened. What followed is a very happy new career.

I believe that professional psychologists call this ‘resilience’. Somehow, I found the confidence to become self-motivated.

Today, as a business mentor, I am thrilled how I am able to impart my own very practical approach to my clients. By merely asking the question about what skills a person possesses can sometimes lead to a positive change in itself.

This background may sound a bit showy. The anecdotes are designed to illustrate how people can progress at work by latching on to the very innate talents that they already possess. To achieve this make take time, but it is usually very doable.