Courage before Confidence

​I talk about confidence a lot. I want to help writers be bold and overcome their fears. I want them to be confident in their skills and brave enough to tell their stories to the world.

But can I let you in on a little secret? Helping others be confident is one of my primary goals because confidence is something I've struggled with a lot. I know what it's like to second-guess my own opinions, abilities, or knowledge.

The primary result of having low confidence is inaction. People who are not confident will freeze up in crises, avoid difficult problems, and delay chasing their dreams. They don't take action, nothing in their life changes, and their confidence plunges even lower.

So how do you get out of this downward spiral, boost your confidence, and see positive change in your life? There's a simple solution: you take action. 

​​Last year, to my utmost surprise, I became a runner. (And that's a whole other discussion for another time.) As a newbie runner, I've become a fan of the Nike guided runs, which help motivate and inspire me as well as teach me how to run better. On one of my recent guided runs, Head Coach Bennett gave me some food for thought every few minutes in order to work out my mind as well as my body. One of these thoughts struck a chord with me: "Courage lies just beyond the reach of confidence."

Many thoughts and discussions could come from this one sentence, but what resonated with me was an idea I've been ruminating on for a while. Confidence doesn't come before you take action; confidence comes because you take action. And how do you take action with no confidence? Courage. Courage gets you past the limit of your certainty. You have to be brave and take the first step, like Indiana Jones and his leap of faith, knowing that confidence will follow and give you a bridge to stand on.

Can you think of a time when you were scared to do something but you did it anyway? How did you feel afterward? If you succeeded, I'd be willing to bet that you felt fantastic. There's nothing that boosts your confidence like accomplishing something you didn't think you could do.

And even if you failed, you still accomplished something. You took action and practiced ignoring your insecurities. You pushed forward through the fear and crossed the proverbial finish line. That builds confidence too, because now you know that you can do hard things and still survive.

This concept of courage before confidence can lead to growth in so many areas of our lives. But specifically for your writing life, I'd encourage you to take that leap of faith. What is it that you've been avoiding?

Do you hesitate to begin writing your story, thinking that you lack the skill to put what's in your head onto the page? Have a little courage and begin anyway. Skill comes with practice. Are you afraid to share your writing with the world or even your closest friends, worried by the criticism that might come? Take a deep breath and share it anyway. The more you share, the easier it will be. 

The only way to build confidence is to have the courage to go beyond your comfort zone. And you know what? That zone will grow with every step you take.