I see it all the time. I come across people who are very talented but seem to fall short of the success they want. Why does that happen? Why is it that people who have talent and a strong work ethic sometimes fall short? True, sometimes we just fall short after doing our best. That’s just the way it is sometimes. But other times we fall short because we’re lacking something. What’s lacking? “Confidence!!!”
Why Do People Lack Confidence?
Who knows the origin of why an individual lacks confidence? It could be a result of falling short on something that had a devastating effect on them. Perhaps they are or were in an unsupportive relationship with a spouse who put them down and never lifted them up? Perhaps they grew up with parents who never appreciated their accomplishments and thus they stopped trying. If you want to lose the confidence you have, just stop trying. It’ll wither quick. Self-doubt will begin to creep in, and before you know it, you won’t want to try anything.
The Confidence of Children
Children tend to start out with quite a bit of confidence. Check out this short story showing how confident children can be:
A girl is sketching when a teacher asks what she’s drawing.
“God” she says, nonchalantly.
“But Alice”, her teacher replies, “nobody knows what God looks like.”
Alice looks at her sharply and replies: “They will in a minute.”
It’s this type of confidence we need to support and strengthen!!!
It’s Important To Lift People Up
I wrote last week about the importance of lifting people up in my post titled, Lift People Up, Don’t Put Them Down. It’s important to be a positive voice in the ear of those we love and care about. It’s no surprise that a spouse will lose confidence if they’re always being put down or chastised for a mistake. Or how about the kid who keeps striking out at the plate because the father is in the stands putting an enormous amount of pressure on the kid to be successful? We need to know that our words can lift people up or put them down.
The Takeaway
I believe we all start out in this world full of confidence. When we’re kids, we’re curious to to learn about everything we can in this world. That’s why toddlers are so curious and in to everything. But somewhere along the line, some people lose that confidence, begin to hold back, and settle into a world where a lack of confidence holds them back. Was it too many smacked hands as a toddler? Or perhaps it was the discouraging words from a parent when they fell short at doing something they tried to do. No matter the cause, we need to be the ones who pick them up and make them stronger.
Believe in those you love and give them your support. Let them know that you believe in them, and they will believe in themselves. This is how confidence grows. And when people have confidence, they’ll keep trying. And when they keep trying, they’ll be successful. And when they’re successful, they’ll look to you because you always picked them up and helped them believe in themselves. This support you gave them will build a bond with them as strong as the confidence they have.