So much is written and debated these days about self confidence and the subconscious mind. Without a shadow of doubt a self belief in your abilities is a must for success on any path you choose to take. So what is, and how easily can we develop self confidence?

 

Self-confidence is that belief that we can perform certain tasks. Performing tasks on a daily basis builds self confidence. We have the self belief that we can do them. Self-confidence however forms just a part of our belief system buried in our subconscious minds.

 

Within our belief system is held all that we believe to be true whether founded or unfounded. These could well be our ideas about other people, races and gender, our beliefs about our selves and our religious beliefs. I'm sure we've all heard of women who believe that men are cheats, never to be trusted to be faithful. It has become part of their belief system and consequently they find it virtually impossible to form any lasting, meaningful relationship.

 

By having the belief that all people of a certain racial groups are trouble will taint any form of contact with people from that race or culture, never seeing the tremendous qualities of each individual.

 

These beliefs are, all said and done, opinions. Solid ideas cemented in the subconscious mind that no matter their foundation will guide what we do and how we react. Beliefs get stronger with evidence that support them, and we very often search for that evidence to back our beliefs. Beliefs will be undermined by contradiction and can be completely destroyed. Brainwashing and propaganda are great examples of this.

 

So, where do our beliefs come from?

 

Our conscious minds are great at filtering out ideas, permitting what is rational to permeate into the subconscious. However these filters for our conscious minds can be by-passed allowing some ideas to form deep within our belief system even when irrational.

 

So how can ideas by-pass these filters to reach our minds at the subconscious level?

 

*Firstly, when an idea comes from somebody we trust and care about. As children we trusted everything our parents said. We believed in their ideas. When they said that the pet that wandered around the house was a cat, we believed it to be so. The fact that everybody else called it a cat supported this fact, so the idea became a strong belief. If the same parents kept saying that we were stupid, then this opinion would become embedded in our subconscious mind. Constant confirmation coming from our parents would forge the idea firmly in the subconscious mind, destroying any self confidence we might have had. At any time somebody rejected or ignored us, this became the evidence to support our poor image of ourselves.

 

*Secondly, by being hypnotised our conscious filters are anaesthetised. This allows suggestions to pass straight to the subconscious mind; this being the basis of which hypnotherapy is formed.

 

*Lastly, when our conscious minds are concentrated on something that demands our full attention. We become highly receptive to suggestions. The idea behind TV companies having commercial brakes during the middle of football games is that the conscious mind is so fixed on the final outcome of the game. Any message that is broadcasted by the advertiser is being received by the subconscious mind.

 

Beliefs can really affect our lives to such a high degree. False beliefs become fulfilling prophecies. Believing we will always live in poverty because we wouldn't be any good at running a business will result in that poor lifestyle. We don't have the motivation and inspiration to have a go and this in turn supports the belief and suppresses self confidence.

 

We need to challenge and contradict our false beliefs. If we want the self confidence to believe we can be a success, we need to find the evidence that belies the belief that we are doomed not to succeed. The celebration of all successes, how ever small, will provide the inspiration and impetus to destroy the negative self belief.

 

Poor self image can be easily rectified once the recognition of low self confidence is there. Understanding that your beliefs are not necessarily true facts will help you question them particularly with regards to your confidence in your own abilities. Creating self confidence is a huge step in the direction of success.

 

Terry Norrington

 

www.getselfconfident.com