When you have confidence, you can do anything. Sloane Stephens
As many people like to point out we are indeed living in ‘uncertain times’. But, since when has anything in life been certain…
Just as courage is not the absence of fear, confidence is not the absence of uncertainty. It is acknowledging that despite the uncertainty you still have the strength of character to continue.
Sloane Stephens is a top tennis player – you would think her advice would be that thousands of hours of hard work and perseverance contributed to her success. Instead she speaks to attitude; confidence is what we need to succeed.
Where does confidence come from? It sounds a lot like an emotional reaction that is out of our control. Some people are born with it while others are not. The truth is that confidence is a very calculated mindset, well within our control, based on personal knowledge and experience.
There is no doubt that in Stephen’s case all of her rigorous training led her to be more confident in her own ability. Similarly, our confidence in making financial decisions is driven by the fact that we have put in the due diligence.
The power of confidence is one of compounding interest. Being confident and seeing payoffs begets more confidence. Unfortunately taking a small loss can completely throw this calculation off. That’s the uncertainty creeping back in.
You need grit to push forward, especially after being hit with an unexpected ace. Having robust confidence isn’t about having an impervious ego, it’s about knowing yourself, your ability and your ambition.
During this humbling period of humanity we have the opportunity to look around us and determine what we truly value in our lives. Material possessions can be fleetingly impermanent, but how we respond to a crisis will forever be with us.
Let’s propel ourselves forward with the confidence to thrive.