Wondering if you can develop confidence as an introvert?  You’re in the right place.  Let’s talk about what confidence means, where it comes from, and how I can help as a confidence coach for introverts.

What is confidence?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines confidence as, “A feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances.” Clear as mud? Me too.

Simply put, confidence is an emotion you experience when you believe in your ability to succeed at whatever you’re doing at the moment. You can feel confident in some areas of life, and not feel confident in other areas – work, personal relationships, health and fitness, hobbies, etc.

Where does confidence come from?

As humans, we tend to develop confidence in our abilities as we gain experience.  We look to our past accomplishments to garner confidence.

For example, if you ever learned to read, ride a bicycle, speak in public, or play an instrument, you probably didn’t feel confident when you were first starting out.  As you learned and practiced, your skills and abilities developed.  Eventually, you began to feel confident about your ability to succeed. Confidence is important, but what’s missing for most people is actually self-confidence.

Confidence versus self-confidence

What is the difference between confidence and self-confidence?  This is a fantastic question.

While confidence is based on your past, self-confidence is based on your future, and your relationship with yourself.

Self-confidence is knowing that no matter what happens, no matter what emotions you experience, you will be okay.  It means trusting yourself to take care of yourself, regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in.

Self-confidence is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal – as a human, and as an introvert.

For example, let’s say I’m going to attend my first networking event.  I’m feeling a little nervous, because I’m thinking that I’m new to networking.  I don’t feel confident, because I’m thinking that I don’t have a lot of experience with networking.

What could self-confidence look like in this scenario? Self-confidence could look like:

• Deciding in advance not to put myself down if I don’t get the results I want
• Choosing to believe that it’s okay to be new at networking, and to learn as I go
• Promising myself that even if I have an awkward moment or don’t know what to say, I won’t make it mean anything negative about me

See how, at every turn, I choose to take care of myself, regardless of what happens or what I feel? That’s self-confidence.

What does it mean to be an introvert?

Society holds all kinds of assumptions about introverts – that we’re:

• Shy
• Quiet
• Lacking confidence
• Happier to be alone than with others

In reality, introversion means that you gain energy from spending time alone, versus with others.

This doesn’t mean that introverts:

• Don’t want to spend time with others
• Can’t develop confidence
• Don’t enjoy the company of others

It simply means that introverts recharge their energy best when they have time to themselves.  More importantly, being an introvert has virtually no impact on your ability to develop confidence or self-confidence.

Can introverts be confident?

You might be wondering, “Can introverts be confident?”  The answer is, introverts can absolutely develop confidence (and self-confidence).

Confidence isn’t only for extroverts.  Many introverts are naturally confident, or have worked to develop confidence.  (By the way, not all extroverts are confident, even though they may seem to be.) As a confidence coach for introverts, I have the amazing job of helping successful, heart-centered introverts develop unshakable self-confidence.

Can you build confidence without a confidence coach for introverts?

Is it possible to build confidence and self-confidence without the help of a confidence coach for introverts?  Most definitely.  The journey without a coach will be different (and probably longer) than the journey with a coach, but it is possible to build confidence as an introvert on your own.

How to build confidence as an introvert

Want to know how to build confidence as an introvert?  It’s a matter of practice, awareness, and working on your relationship with yourself.

If you don’t have a strong sense of self-confidence, it’s probably because your brain has been running on autopilot.  This is completely normal.  However, you must consciously take over control of your brain to begin building self-confidence.

How do you overcome that autopilot and take the reigns in your brain?  You can take control of your brain and build self-confidence by:

• Noticing your thoughts about yourself, other people and the world
• Deciding whether those thoughts serve you
• Choosing with intention what you want to believe about yourself, the person you are, and your place in the world
• Taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally, regardless of circumstances that arise

While it might seem simple, building self-confidence is a commitment.  It takes time, energy, and dedication to yourself.

How a confidence coach for introverts can help

By now, you know that confidence has nothing to do with being an introvert.  You also know that it’s possible to build confidence and self-confidence, even without the help of a coach.

So, why work with a coach? There are many advantages to working with a confidence coach for introverts.

A professional who understands

First, an experienced coach is familiar with many of the confidence issues you deal with, has coached people on them before, and may have even overcome those issues themselves.  A good coach can quickly spot thought patterns and beliefs that are keeping you stuck, and help you start to change them right away.

Shorten the learning curve

Second, working with a coach shortens the process of developing self-confidence down from years (if you did it on your own) down to months, or sometimes even weeks.  Rather than trying to figure out how to develop self-confidence on your own, your coach serves as your guide, providing you with the tools and guided expertise to help develop self-confidence in a fraction of the time.

A personal champion

Finally, a coach cares about you and is invested in your success.  Your coach is there to help you see new possibilities, believe in you unconditionally, and teach you to manage your thoughts and emotions so you can build self-confidence.  Your coach loves teaching, leading, and cheering you on.

Confidence coach for introverts: Conclusion

As an introvert, it might seem difficult to develop confidence and/or self-confidence.  It is possible to develop confidence, regardless of whether you are introverted or extroverted.  Although you don’t have to have a coach to develop confidence, there are many advantages to hiring a confidence coach for introverts.  Confidence and self-confidence are an inside job, and an experienced coach can help you get the job done faster and better than if you go it alone.

Want to explore coaching?  Schedule a strategy session with me to learn more.  You’ll walk away with three simple tips to build confidence as an introvert NOW, plus discover how I can help you build self-confidence.  Schedule your strategy session today!