Barrie Davenport - Building Confidence: Get Motivated, Overcome Social Fear, Be Assertive, and Empower Your Life For Success

If we all did the things we are capable of doing,
we would literally astound ourselves.

~Thomas Edison

YOU ARE CAPABLE of great things. You are capable of success and achievement beyond your wildest imaginings.

You have enough intelligence and plenty of available resources to create a satisfying, rewarding, and happy life for yourself. Perhaps you don't feel that way right now, but assume for a moment it's true. Everything you need, you already possess.

The only thing missing is the key to unlock all of that potential. Without the key, you remain incapacitated, unable to take action, speak up, make decisions, or take calculated risks.

In order to access your potential, you need a healthy amount of confidencea firm belief in yourself and your abilities and the initiative to take action. Without confidence, regardless of how smart and talented you might be, you will remain stuck. You won't become the person you are meant to be.

Fortunately, the key to confidence is available to everyoneand that includes you. Although some people are predisposed to confident personalities, anyone can learn the skills of confidence and apply them daily. You can profoundly improve your feelings of self-assurance, ambition, sociability, and initiative.

The purpose of this book is to provide you the key to unlock your own self-confidence. I'll present practical, research-based information and exercises to improve your confidence, as well as challenge you to use your growing confidence to change your life.

I'm offering you a blueprint to rebuild yourself, using confidence as the bricks and mortar. A house built with bricks and mortar can withstand challenges, obstacles, and setbacks. These challenges are part of life for the confident and insecure alike.

When I was in my early twenties and applying for my first job out of college, I was sitting in my soon-to-be boss's office as she reviewed my resume. She excused herself for a moment, leaving my resume on her desk.

I peered over to see what she had written on it, hoping to see something like, "Amazing candidate. Brilliant. This is the one!" Instead she had written two words: "Blonde. Timid."

Over thirty years later, I still remember the sinking feeling I had walking out of that interview. I'd been reduced to two not so very positive wordscertainly not the words I wanted to describe me. They sure didn't seem like hiring words.

Of course I was blonde and timid. I was a brand new college graduate with a major in English literature. I had little work experience, few marketable skills, and a degree with no clear career path.

When I got home, I shared the experience with my mom, and she encouraged me to get on the phone and let this woman know how much I wanted the job. "The squeaky wheel gets the grease," she reminded. I was filled with fear and self-doubt, but I made the call. I mustered up enough courage to sound eager and enthusiastic, even though I was feeling far from it. I got the job.

The memory of that event has stayed with me over the years. Although my confidence has grown as I've gotten older, there are still plenty of times when I'm not on my game and don't feel secure in myself. When this happens, I remember how taking just one small confident action, in spite of being fearful and insecure, opened the door to a twenty plus year career in public relations. It profoundly changed my life.

Small acts of confidence can create big opportunities. It all begins with the belief that confidence is possible. It can be improved, and you can change your life.

With this book, you'll learn more about confidence, what holds you back from it, and how you can start taking small, manageable actions to rebuild your confidenceeven before you begin feeling confident.

I encourage you to begin this book knowing that confidence awaits you. You can and will feel good about who you are, secure in your abilities, eager to take action, and strong enough to remain confident in the face of challenges or setbacks. A confident, new you is waiting.