A thought by Chad Veach from his book, I Work with People (p. 47). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)
Having confidence is so very important in life.
Chad says, "As a parent, I try to build my son’s confidence whenever I can. Every day when I drop him off at preschool, I tell him three things I love about him, and they are nearly always identity things: 'I love how confident you are. I love that you are kind to people. I love your sense of humor.' He always gets a cute little smirk on his face when I begin, but I can tell he loves it. Sometimes we’ll even talk for a few seconds about what those phrases mean and what they look like practically. I know that if he shows up to class confident, it will affect his entire day: how he does in class, how he relates to his friends, how he tackles new areas of learning, how he handles his mistakes, and how he stands up to potential bullying or criticism."
He goes on, "How you face challenges depends on how you see yourself... In other words, difficulties are less likely to stop you if you believe in yourself. Why? Because if you doubt yourself, you’ll give up at the first hint of failure; but if you truly believe in yourself, you’ll redouble your efforts in the face of failure. Often the biggest obstacle is not the obstacle itself, but rather your view of yourself."
He then says, "This is why I’m a big proponent of continually telling people on my team what they are good at, even if they already know it. Actually, especially if they already know it. Why? Because it’s so easy for people to start doubting their strengths. Even though they are gifted, they are not perfect—and sometimes it’s the mistakes and limitations that shout at them the loudest. They need a reassuring voice from someone they trust that confirms their calling and ability. If they begin to doubt who they are, they’ll stop attempting great things; but if their self-confidence is healthy, they will tackle challenges with courage, faith, and persistence. Instead of playing not to lose, they’ll play to win."
We really do have the ability to build confidence in others. We really do, don't we?
Yes, yes!
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