How You Can Build Your Confidence, Part 1

Let me put this bluntly. Confidence is the single most under appreciated skill set of a great sales professional.

A lack of confidence is a recipe for mediocrity. An abundance of confidence is evident in every top performing sales professional.

But what exactly is confidence? Some would suggest it is simply a mindset. (“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me.”)

While I won’t argue the mental aspect, I would counter instead that confidence is better described as a skill set. It is something that is grown and developed. And, in fact, your success depends upon just such efforts.

Let me offer you a definition. Confidence is the sum of two component parts: belief and mastery.

In this post I will address the topic of belief. In my next offering I will tackle the subject of mastery.

It all begins with belief. If you want to build your confidence, you have to challenge the way you think.

Let me offer you these questions as you evaluate your own beliefs:

• Do I believe that I am providing an extraordinary service to my customer?
• Do I believe that I am worthy of success?
• Do I believe in the value that my product brings?
• Do I believe that I am making a difference?
• Do I believe in my own company?

Suppose that you answered each of those questions with a profound “yes.” If that is the case, you are halfway to confidence. And here is the good news; belief is the important half of the confidence equation.

This is not to say that mastery is trivial; nothing could be further from the truth. But of the two components, belief is more important.

So what are you doing to build your own belief? Are you in the right place? Are you carrying the right beliefs?

Or do you have some soul-searching to do?