Once upon a time, confidence was thought of as an innate personal trait. Folks believed that some people are born with it and others are not. These days, we know that isn’t true; people don’t have confident personalities. Instead, we learn to think in ways that influence our self-worth.

So, what’s confidence? It’s an attitude or a way of focusing your mind. Research has shown that confidence blossoms when you focus your attention on three key elements.

Self-efficacy

When you’re confident, you believe your actions can create positive results. This increases your willingness to act and therefore boosts your chances of achieving your goals. Psychologists call this having a high level of ‘self-efficacy’. According to positive psychologist, Martin Seligman, working on your self-efficacy is more important than building your self-esteem if you want to boost confidence.

Internal locus of control

What do you think controls your life? External forces, such as fate, luck or nature? Or your own efforts? Confident individuals believe that control comes from within. Thus, they focus their attention on things they can influence. As Mira Kirshenbaum says, “the secret of confidence is focusing on what you can control, not what you can’t”.

Uplifting emotions

Positive emotions don’t just feel good, they also help you learn, bond with others and think flexibly. Barbara Fredrickson is a renowned scholar in the field of social psychology. She has identified the 10 most psychologically beneficial emotions as joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, awe and love.

You CAN shift into the thinking habits that support high confidence. Get started by upgrading your focus skills today.