What is self-belief, and how do I build it?

Have you ever watched a child attempt a task and see them do it with so much motivation, conviction, and confidence? They seem to have this innate belief that they can achieve the impossible no matter what.

Children have such a strong self-belief because they haven’t experienced the twists and turns of life that often affect our ability to believe in ourselves.

Self-belief takes time and effort to build and, as life ebbs and flows, there may have been certain events or experiences that have damaged your self-belief. You may be struggling with thinking that you’re a failure or feeling like an imposter – both of these beliefs get in the way of us truly believing in ourselves and our potential.

I’m here today to tell you that there are ways to build self-belief to the point where you feel capable and ready to take on the world. Here are some ways you can get this right.

What is self-belief?

For many years, researchers and those in the psychology profession have long debated the real meaning of self-confidence and self-belief.

The definition I share with my clients is simple: Self-belief is having all that you need inside of you to do what may seem impossible.

If you’re looking for a more technical definition, though, here’s what the Psychology Dictionary Online has to say: “Our self-assurance in trusting our abilities, capacities, and judgments; the belief that we can meet the demands of a task.”

You see, when you radically and fully believe in yourself, just about anything is possible. Self-belief is the key and most vital ingredient in achieving your dreams and living the life you deserve. Without it, how will you get anything done?

Why is self-belief so important?

There’s plenty of science and research behind this topic, but I’d like to share what I’ve experienced over my years as a transformational mindset coach.

When people have complete self-belief, I’ve seen all aspects of their life improve, including:

• Better physical health.
• The ability to deal with stress and emotions more effectively.
• Having more time for personal relationships and having healthy boundaries within these relationships.
• Improved career performance through better concentration and a consistent commitment to getting things done.
• A better ability to persuade others and speak in public settings.
• Reduced anxiety and depression.

How to build self-belief?

Now that you know what self-belief looks like and just how much it can truly transform your life, let’s look at what you can do to build your own self-belief.

Step 1: Prepare for your journey towards self-belief

You can’t go on this journey towards self-belief without knowing where you are now and where you were in the past. My advice is to start out with an audit or inventory of your past and present.

Consider your strengths and your weakness, your goals and values, and what you want to achieve on this journey. These could be things like giving up negative self-talk, embracing positive thinking, and building confidence.

Step 2: Get Started

Now that you have laid your foundations, you can start to tackle things that will really improve your self-belief.

Identify what skills and knowledge you need to improve your self-belief and confidence. Do you need to chat with a coach who can empower you with this information? Do you need to go for a few therapy sessions?

Start small. I say this to all my clients, and I’ll say it to you again: start small. Don’t get bogged down by the details or by striving for perfection.

You will hit roadblocks along the way, but the most important part of self-belief is not giving up when these appear.

Set small goals and then take stock of each tiny victory.

Continue to work on diminishing negative self-talk and silencing your inner critic.

Step 3: Achieving self-belief

Congratulations! You’re now on the road to building real self-belief. Be sure to celebrate each and every success while keeping yourself grounded.

Continuously assess your level of self-belief and work out what you can do to continue to improve it.

I have helped hundreds of clients improve their self-belief and live confident lives, free of negative self-talk. If you’d like to book a one-to-one coaching session with me, visit my website. I’d love to help you find the self-belief that your inner child once had in abundance.