Confidence = Preparation + Courage

It always amazes me when I see someone on television holding a press conference ? a lawyer outside a courtroom, a businessperson at the launch of a new product. Reporters ask hardball questions. The answers are given with conviction, without hesitation. The person being questioned exhibits supreme confidence. Where does that confidence come from? How do they get it? What lessons are there for those of us who also have to face difficult circumstances and need that same, high level of confidence?

You may be facing a difficult task. It might be something very unpopular. It might be something confrontational. It could be something you have never done before or puts you or your business at risk. It could be that you will have to make a speech in public. It is easy, under those circumstances, to hyperventilate, have sweaty palms and jittery knees. Whether it is making a sales presentation, implementing a new project, interviewing a prospective employee, disciplining someone, or having an argument with a vendor it will go so much better if you are confident of success.

That confidence comes from knowing the outcome you want to achieve, being prepared and being courageous. It comes from the inner knowledge that you are ready for the task at hand - you have done your homework, you have practiced, and you have looked for external contingencies that might otherwise interfere with your success. Knowing you have the courage to overcome your fears and dive in to the troubled waters of difficult or unpopular tasks bolsters your confidence.

Being prepared and courageous makes it easy to be confident and take on that task so, before embarking on any new venture, create a list of all the steps necessary to become as well prepared as possible. Go over your action steps and work through them one by one. Your list might be something simple with few steps that take just a short outline or it might be complex requiring many pages of notes, instructions, trainings, many meetings and practice sessions before you have the confidence to get on that path of success. Then square up your shoulders, take a deep breath, and go out there with confidence.

Larry Galler coaches and consults with high-performance executives, professionals, and small businesses since 1993. He is the writer of the long-running (every Sunday since November 2001) business column, "Front Lines with Larry Galler" Sign up for his free newsletter at http://www.larrygaller.com

Email Larry larry@larrygaller.com for more information.

---

Veteran Entrepreneurs Are Growing In Ranks

When I'm not running my own business, writing articles about... Read More

5 Habits Of Successful Entrepreneurs

Habits get a bum rap. When you think about your... Read More

Top Ten Ways to Increase Your Profitability

1) Go back to basics. Take a couple of steps... Read More

The Reluctant Entrepreneur

It seems odd to think of a person opening a... Read More

What It Takes To be An Entrepreneur Series: Action

Many people have the professed desire to be their own... Read More

Before Getting A Franchise

Buying into a franchise is a great way to be... Read More

Starting Your Business By The Book

I've gotten several questions recently about the legalities of starting... Read More

Fear of Failure

Of all the real or perceived impediments to success, the... Read More

Competitive Edge

In his book, The Road Ahead, Bill Gates of Microsoft... Read More

Ancient Warrior Secrets For The Modern Entrepreneur

The words you see onscreen trigger subconscious responses. Dark images... Read More

How Entrepreneurs Succeed - The 5 Qualities Needed For Business Success

What is it that sets a successful businessperson apart from... Read More

Surviving the Three Pitfalls of Business Ownership

The morning sun sheds its brilliance and warmth... Read More

Developing A Contract

As a service provider, the most important type of "boundary"... Read More

Electronic Tools for Entrepreneurial Success

"Half of any job is having the right tool" was... Read More

Goals and New Venture Creation

More and more corporate workers are leaving their jobs to... Read More

Oil Change Guys History; Part II

Franchise companies are not born they are made and when... Read More

Entrepreneurial Ongoing Education Advice

I would like to give some advice to all the... Read More

Playing Hookey Can Help! A Surprising Secret To Small Business Success!

Would you like to increase your chances of business success... Read More

Franchisor Sample Grand Opening Launch for New Franchised Outlets

It is paramount that all franchising companies work hard in... Read More

Delivery Companies Make the Grade

In the United States we have the most efficient delivery... Read More

Are You an Entrepreneur That is Starved for Time?

Being an entrepreneur and running a successful home-based business is... Read More

Part-Time/In-Home Business - Low Expense and Low Risk

As a first time entrepreneur, there are a variety of... Read More

Top 10 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make Before They Even Start

So you want to start a business. You have an... Read More

Why Every Student Should Start a Business

With the economic downturn, students in all the major business... Read More

Pre-Money vs. Post-Money Valuation

When a company decides that it must raise capital, a... Read More

An Entrepreneurs Biggest Cost

When launching a new product or company, an entrepreneur must... Read More

What Qualities Do Franchisors Need?

When I got into business I wanted to build a... Read More

Creativity & Entrepreneurship: The Secret to Discovering Your Purpose in Life!©

Hello Creative Entrepreneurs!In the second course on Creativity & Entrepreneurship... Read More

Ten Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs

Successful entrepreneurs have many traits in common. Here are ten... Read More

New Rules

Last week I was working with one of my small... Read More

Methods of Generating New Ideas for Entrepreneurs

Summary: Even with a wide variety of sources available, coming... Read More

Starting Up and Keeping Going

So you had that fantastic business idea, the one that's... Read More

Business Ideas

Richard Branson, billionaire founder of Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic... Read More