How to Take Control of Your Self Confidence

If you think success, happiness and love are going to happen without learning through mistakes along the way you are mistaken.

Our brains are wired to learn from our own experiences as well as those of others. Without experience how are you going to learn anything?

Let me give you an example. At my local bank a number of weeks ago I attempted to make small talk with the cashier and she completely ignored me.

Last week I was in the bank and tried my small talk routine again, and again I failed. She ignored me again!

There are a number of ways to view this situation:

1 My communication strategy is not working
2 I need to change my approach
3 I will learn from this experience and become better

A number of years ago I would have given this situation a different analysis:

1 She is rude and ignorant. She thinks I am a moron
2 I feel crushed by this blatant rejection
3 My confidence depends on this person liking me

Notice the difference. My old outlook sets me up for pain and frustration and puts the ball in the court of the other person. My confidence depends on how the other person responds.

My new outlook puts me in control. I created the results I am getting, I can choose to change my approach and I can decide to learn and grow from every experience.

A second point worth mentioning is that of wanting something from someone versus giving.

When you approach dealing with other people as getting something from them you will always have confidence issues instead view conversations as giving and you are back in control.

With the bank cashier if I want to get something from her I focus on wanting her to accept me and this neediness will be picked up by her. She is unlikely to respond positively to this.

If instead I give what I want then I will decide to accept her. And she will receive my acceptance and likely reflect it back to me.

My confidence then is based on giving - something I am in charge of not someone else.

Now it is time for you to take this information and put it into action.

Think of a situation where you are typically not as confident as you would like to be.

If the reason is due to a lack of knowledge or ability then work on that first. If you do have the necessary skills then decide to take action and learn step by step from every experience.

Start with a small challenge and gradually step up to bigger ones.

Remember to use this outlook:

1 What is working and what is not working?
2 Change your approach until you get the results you want
3 Decide to learn from every experience

Your confidence is under your control and is not controlled by someone else!

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/repo rt.htm

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

President-elect Barack Obama speaks about the economy at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.,  Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)AP - President-elect Barack Obama warned of dire and long-lasting consequences if Congress doesn't pump unprecedented dollars into the national economy, making an urgent pitch Thursday for his mammoth spending proposal in his first speech since the election.



Senate Budget Committee Chairman Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., right, accompanied by House Budget Committee Chairman Rep John Spratt, D-S.C., left, takes part in a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington,  Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)AP - President-elect Barack Obama's proposed tax cuts are running into opposition from senators in his own party who say they won't do much to stimulate the economy or create jobs.



Palestinians throw stones at an Israeli watch-tower during a protest against Israel's offensive in Gaza, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Thursday Jan. 8, 2009. Militants in Lebanon fired at least three rockets into northern Israel on Thursday, ripping through a crowded nursing home and threatening to open a new front for the Jewish state as it pushed forward with a bloody offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed about 700 people. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)AP - The U.N. halted deliveries to the Gaza Strip on Thursday after gunfire from an Israeli tank killed an aid truck driver, and the threat of a wider conflict arose when militants in Lebanon fired rockets into northern Israel.



Pedestrians walk past Generations Menswear on 8th Ave. in New York Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. Retailers are reporting dismal sales for December, confirming fears that the holiday season was the weakest in four decades.  (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)AP - Retailers reported dismal sales figures for December on Thursday as even Wal-Mart Stores Inc., one of the bright spots in the industry, finally buckled under the pressures of the deteriorating economy.



In this Jan. 5, 2009 file photo, disgraced financier Bernard Madoff leaves U.S. District Court in Manhattan after a bail hearing in New York. A defense lawyer for Bernard Madoff is expected to submit written arguments Wednesday to a judge who is probing whether the disgraced Wall Street financier should be jailed before trial. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)AP - Prosecutors said Thursday that investigators found 100 signed checks worth $173 million in Bernard Madoff's office desk that he was ready to send out to his closest family and friends at the time of his arrest last month.



A sign instructs job seekers at the California Employment Development Department in Sunnyvale, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. The country lost nearly 2 million jobs through November and more bad news is expected this week when the government releases data on weekly jobless claims and December unemployment. No matter how bad those numbers are, and economists expect at least another 500,000 jobs were lost last month, the pain is stretching into 2009.  (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)AP - The number of people continuing to seek unemployment benefits has risen sharply, according to government data released Thursday, indicating that laid-off workers are having a harder time finding new jobs as the recession enters its second year.



Protesters yell during a demonstration against the shooting death of Oscar Grant at the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. Grant was shot and killed by a police officer after an altercation on a BART train station platform in Oakland on New Year's Day.  (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)AP - Mayor Ron Dellums urged residents to remain calm after protests turned violent in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by a transit police officer.



Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer delivers the keynote address Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)AP - Microsoft Corp.'s next version of the Windows operating system is almost ready for prime time. That's one message Chief Executive Steve Ballmer delivered on the eve of the official opening of the International Consumer Electronics Show.



Maureen O'Conner places a vase of flowers and a sign by the entrance to the Jumbolair Aviation Estates where actor John Travolta and his family  live Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009 near Ocala, Fla., while Roberta Arnes, right, pays her respects to the Travolta family for the lose of their son.  The Travolta family is back in their home in the complex after returning from the Bahamas, where their 16-year-old son, Jett, died at the family vacation home in Grand Bahama. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)AP - John Travolta and family were expected to host a private memorial service Thursday for their son, 16-year-old Jett Travolta, at their gated-community home in central Florida.



This Sept. 7, 2007 file photo shows Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz tipping his hat to fans as he leaves the game after giving up a hit to Washington Nationals' Ronnie Belliard, ending Smoltz's bid for a no-hitter, during the eighth inning of a baseball game at Turner Field in Atlanta. Smoltz has reached a preliminary agreement on a contract with the Boston Red Sox, a stunning end to his long career with the Atlanta Braves. The deal was expected to be finalized later Thursday Jan. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Gregory Smith, File)AP - John Smoltz has reached preliminary agreement on a contract with the Boston Red Sox, who also agreed Thursday to a one-year contract with outfielder Rocco Baldelli.



President George W. Bush speaks as President-elect Barack Obama looks over his shoulder during a meeting with former Presidents in the Oval Office, January 7, 2009. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama sought to rally support on Thursday for a massive fiscal stimulus package by warning that the United States could remain mired in recession for years without bold action.



A Palestinian boy looks at the al-Noor mosque destroyed after an Israeli air strike in Gaza January 8, 2009. (Mohammed Salem/Reuters)Reuters - Palestinians faced even grimmer conditions in the Gaza Strip on Thursday after a U.N. aid agency halted work, saying its staff were at risk from Israeli forces fighting Hamas militants, after two drivers were killed.



A recruiter holds an application form at a job fair organized by the New Hampshire Employment Security agency in Salem, New Hampshire December 17, 2008. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)Reuters - Unemployment benefit rolls swelled to a 26-year high in the last week of December, data showed on Thursday, while retailers, including market leader Wal-Mart, reported poor sales as the year-long economic slump deepened.



Bernard Madoff is escorted from Federal Court in New York January 5, 2009. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters)Reuters - A search of accused swindler Bernard Madoff's office desk revealed he had signed checks totaling more than $173 million ready to be sent, U.S. prosecutors said in court papers on Thursday asking a judge to jail him.



Reuters - A criminal probe into the CIA's destruction of videotapes showing harsh interrogations of terrorism suspects is almost finished, court papers made public this week show.

North Korean soldiers look south on the north side of the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in Paju, about 55 km (34 miles) north of Seoul, December 6, 2008. (Lee Jae-Won/Reuters)Reuters - North Korea may have begun developing nuclear arms after deciding the United States was unlikely to use nuclear weapons to eliminate its development program, a senior Pentagon adviser said on Thursday.



Former Senator Larry Craig is pictured in these police booking photos taken June 11, 2007. (Metropolitan Airports Commission Police Department/Handout/Reuters)Reuters - Former Sen. Larry Craig has ended his effort to void the guilty plea he made following his 2007 arrest in a men's toilet sex-sting operation, his lawyer said on Thursday.



People walk past the Bank of England in central London, January 8, 2009. (Rob Bodman/Reuters)Reuters - Bleak economic data in Europe and disappointing December retail sales figures in the United States unsettled financial markets on Thursday, strengthening the case for more government stimulus and encouraging rate cuts.



Palestinian youth inspect a destroyed kindergarten following an Israeli air strike overnight in Gaza City. Rockets fired into northern Israel from Lebanon have sparked a new military alert as Israeli jets carried out mass strikes on smuggling tunnels in Gaza.(AFP/Mahmud Hams)AFP - Rockets fired into northern Israel from Lebanon on Thursday sparked a new military alert as Israeli jets carried out mass strikes on smuggling tunnels in Gaza.



A woman looks at a pressure gauge on a gas pipe in the Ukrainian city of Boyarka. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday said Moscow will resume gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine after it has struck an agreement with Ukraine on the transit, Russian news agencies reported.(AFP/File/Sergei Supinsky)AFP - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday said Moscow will resume gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine after it has struck an agreement with Ukraine on the transit, Russian news agencies reported.




The Monkey And The Spreadsheet

When the mind was fidgety, like a monkeyWhen you felt restless, it... Read More

A New Beginning With The People At Work

There's a big opportunity here! The holidays bring a change in spirit... Read More

Is Effortless Prosperity Really Possible?

Dear friends,Whenever I read the words "effortless prosperity" a chain reaction of... Read More

Seeing What You Never Saw Before

Have you ever bought a new car and then afterwards you started... Read More

Relationships - 9 Never-Changing Rules

In a relationship, your ability to understand and respond to the other... Read More

How To Get Lucky

Would you like to get lucky? There are at least a dozen... Read More

Law-of-Attraction Article: Wake Up and Create Something

It's time for the "mainstream" to WAKE UP. The alarm clock is... Read More

How to Develop the Genius within You

Inside each one of us there's a seed of greatness, a seed... Read More

What Do You See When You Look In The Mirror?

'Image & Professionalism' we hear these words being thrown around in conversation... Read More

Abundance Prosperity Based on Wallace Wattles and Napoleon Hill

It is arguable that the definition of wealth is the free and... Read More

How to Start a Conversation Effortlessly

The ability to converse effortlessly with those you encounter is a critical... Read More

The Power of Perspective

You limit yourself. Yes, it is true. Each day you behave in... Read More

Choose Your Friends, Choose Your Fate

When I was about 10 years, I got a t-shirt from my... Read More

Who Do You Want to Meet?

One of the goals that I encourage my clients to work on... Read More

Two Principles That Can Change Your Life Completely

First principle: You and the universe is one.In order to achieve higher... Read More

Ego or Higher Self: Whos Behind Your Decisions?

When you make a decision, you hope it is ultimately one that... Read More

Are You The Driver Or The Passenger?

In your journey through life are you the "driver" or the "passenger"?Let... Read More

8 Powerful Tips to a Magnificent Life

Tip #1. Find your purpose. Finding one's purpose is the key to... Read More

Turn Whats Bothering You Into A Blessing

That which you desire to remove from your life is a blessing... Read More

What Is Your Legacy?

During a recent speech, I told the audience that my mission was... Read More

Crack the Clandestine Code of Diamonds

Precious, brilliant and expensive-why wouldn't diamonds be a girl's best friend? When... Read More

Self-Concept and Self-Actualization: Nucleus of Shyness and Social Anxiety Disorder

In the dynamics of the self-concept and in the tendency to self-actualization... Read More

Character or Reputation

Character or Reputation. When we see these two words together, we often... Read More

Why Character and Integrity Are So Important

It's been said that character is defined by what you do when... Read More

Invisible Braces, Viable Solutions

Invisible braces, like Invisalign, are most popular among adults. For children and... Read More

Business Intuition: Using the HeartMind

Many scientific studies have demonstrated the reality of intuition for getting information... Read More

Visualization: Attracting Your Dreams and Desires

Visualization is an essential tool for attracting your dreams and desires. To... Read More

Why These Berkeley Scientists Were Baffled!

Breakthrough Scientific Research on the Amoeba And Why You Must Know This!I... Read More

Give The Wrong Words An Inch And They May Take A Mile!

What do you do when circumstances seem out of control? What's the... Read More

Ego, Arrogance, and Self-Esteem

The pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain are not our... Read More

Letting Go Of Wanting Your Own Approval

Ever had a time in your life when those closest to you... Read More

The Top 10 Roadblocks to Attracting Prosperity and what We can Do About Them!

If it were easy, everyone would do IT; everyone would have IT.That... Read More

Recognize Desire AS Power

I just moved into my new luxurious, harborside condo, overlooking the famous... Read More

Bigger Fish To Fry

Last month I was on another adventure, fishing Dog Lake in Northern... Read More

Isnt It Time to Give Yourself Permission?

Remember back in school days when you needed a permission slip to... Read More

A Fun Way To Make A Living

"You must be willing to do the things today others won't do,... Read More

Hot Date Tonight?

Re-entering the dating scene is rather scary, but as a single woman,... Read More

The Winning Combo!

What do we all strive for in life? Success! Success is the... Read More

Dont Take It Personally

Many of you already know that I've been divorced for 5 years... Read More

A Sweep of Vanity: How To Burst Your Own Bubble

"Hoy-day! What a sweep of vanity comes this way!" --William Shakespeare, "The... Read More

5 Tips To Increase Your Personal Power

1. The most important one: Have at least one person in your... Read More

Jedi Mind Tricks - How To Make Suggestions Like A Jedi Master

Being a child of the Seventies I'm a real fan of the... Read More

What is the Key to a Successful Life?

An ideal is not the dream that can never be realised, that... Read More

Secret of Wealth

"Before I had a lot of money, I was really quite happy,"... Read More

WAKE UP and Create Something

It's time for the "mainstream" to WAKE UP. The alarm clock is... Read More

Are You Living?

Disclaimer: All the thoughts expressed are my views only! Your perception might... Read More

Stopping Time

Six hundred feet straight down! Nothing to break the fall. I've got... Read More