What is the difference between those who achieve success and those who do not? Two words—faith and confidence—capture many of the reasons that only some people are successful.
Have you ever met or observed a successful person who reflected doubt, skepticism, and uncertainty? (My guess is, probably not.) Would you enjoy hanging around someone who displayed the characteristics above? (Again, probably not.)
What about you? Ask yourself:
- On a scale of 1 to 10—1 being not at all and 10 being always—at what level are your “success characteristics” of both faith and confidence?
- Are you satisfied with the way you are responding to your life’s challenges?
Let’s look more closely at these success traits and how each of us, myself included, can consider deepening our conviction to embrace these two critical characteristics.
Many people mistakenly believe that successful people were simply handed success—that they were born into it, they were lucky, have had an easy life, etc. However, most successful people have had as many challenges as—and often more challenges than—those who have failed. It is the way people choose to respond to their challenges that separates the winners from the losers.
Faith is your underlying belief in the direction you are going, in concert with the plans and actions you will take to get there. The strength of your faith will be influenced by your clarity of purpose and the level of passion that comes from knowing you are 100% on track. It is not possible to have faith when you are not living on purpose or passionate about what you do. That is why so many people fail to realize their full potential.
Success cannot be forced or contrived. Your level of faith in yourself, in your direction, and in your plans is directly proportionate to how clear you are about and how connected you are to your purpose.
You will need this faith to succeed, because others—well-meaning as they might be—will challenge your direction and plans throughout your life. For example, since purchasing and acquiring CRG, I have found my faith on the direction and plans of CRG to be challenged by individuals and tested by circumstances on multiple occasions.
You may also be experiencing such challenges. Even though you may want to have mentors and wise advisors surrounding you, in the end, you must carry the torch yourself—even if it means pushing back on others’ feedback.
If you are truly living on purpose, it is possible that you are the only one who has belief or passion about your project/plans/process—especially in the beginning. But that is exactly why it is YOURS and not someone else’s; you have faith where others cannot see or understand.
In addition to faith, you need confidence to realize your potential. Having a high level of confidence does not mean you are arrogant. A high level of confidence is usually accompanied by humility so that when you are wrong, you can admit it and learn from the experience. Mistakes are part of the journey to success, but your self-worth levels and confidence should not be linked to these setbacks.
Confidence affects others positively, while the lack thereof has the opposite effect. Can you think of someone with low self-worth, someone with no confidence? What is it like to be around that person? Does it inspire confidence, or drain energy?
Confidence (or lack of it) becomes a self-fulfilling condition. If you are confident that what you need to move you forward will come to you—it will happen. If you don’t have this confidence, you likely will not get what you need. Remember, “whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right” (Henry Ford).
Confidence—at least humble confidence—is an attractive, inspiring condition. Others will want to be around you and engage with you, and trust you because of your confidence.
The opposite is also true. If you are full of doubt or have low self-worth, people will not enjoy working with you. And certainly, other successful individuals will limit their exposure to you so they are not dragged down by your negativity.
This Week’s Action Steps
Your Success Requires Faith and Confidence
- Rate yourself: On a scale of 1 to 10—1 being not at all, 10 being always—in terms of your levels of faith and confidence, what score would you give yourself? Be honest.
- Ask yourself: Are you happy with your results? If not, why not?
- Think about: Would others who know you well give you similar scores to the ones you gave yourself in terms of your faith and confidence levels? Why or why not? If the scores are very different, what might be the reasons?
- Consider what you could do to increase your level of faith in yourself and the direction of your life. If you lack faith, where, and why? Be aware that sometimes, you will be the only one who has faith in a project, especially at first. That’s fine if you are living on purpose, passionate, and personally confident about your direction. In the end, it is your faith, not someone else’s, that counts.
- Consider what you could do to increase your confidence and self-worth levels. Does your confidence level vary, depending on the situation? If so, CRG’s Self-Worth Inventory assessment can help you.
- Remember: Confidence does not mean you are arrogant. In fact, the opposite is true; authentic confidence comes with humility.
Ken Keis, Ph.D.
CRG Consulting Resource Group International, Inc.
Author Bio
Ken Keis, Ph.D., President of CRG, is a global expert on leadership, wellness, behavioral assessments, and life purpose. In 28 years, he has conducted over 3000 presentations and invested 10,000+ hours in consulting and coaching. Ken Keis is considered a foremost global authority on the way assessment strategies and processes increase and multiply success rates. He co-created CRG’s proprietary development models and has written over 4 million words of content for 40 business training programs and 400+ articles. His latest book, The Quest For Purpose: A Self-Discovery Process To Find It And Live It!,is available at crgleader.com.