The saying “fake it til you make it” may not be so far off after all. Because when it comes to success, self esteem can make or break you. In fact, previous research has revealed that “Self-efficacy beliefs determine how people feel, think, motivate themselves and behave.” So, you don’t need to be successful to be confident. On the other hand, your confidence can help you to become successful. That being said, boosting your confidence can be hard.
Having self confidence doesn’t come easy. Luckily, there are a few changes you can quickly make in your life that will give you an instant boost of confidence.
To learn how, check out these six for boosting your confidence and motivation:
1. Dress for success.
The old saying, “dress for success,” isn’t so far-fetched after all. One study looked at a group of men—one-third who were dressed in suits, another third in sweatpants and the remaining in casual attire—and then asked them to role play a negotiation scene.
In the end, the men dressed in suits showed higher levels of dominance, job performance and confidence, resulting in better negotiation deals.
2. Practice positive self-talk.
Positive self-talk is a surefire way to boost your confidence levels quickly. However, the way in which you positively self-talk matters too.
A recent study reveals that people who talk to themselves positively in the second person (using “you”) reported higher levels of motivation and confidence than people who spoke to themselves in the first person (“I”).
Researchers concluded this is because addressing yourself in the second person, makes it feel like you are receiving external appreciation and confirmation. This can go a long ways in boosting your confidence.
3. Exercise outside.
Take your workout outside. According to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research, exercising outside has a direct positive impact on a person’s self-esteem.
4. Socialize.
In order to be successful, it’s important to surround yourself with the right people and build yourself a large network of supportive friends. According to earlier research, the more social groups a person is involved in, the higher a person’s self-esteem.
5. Daydream.
Letting your mind wander can actually make you smarter and boost your self-esteem.
An experiment conducted by the Georgia Institute of Technology analyzed the brain patterns of 100 participants through an MRI machine, then asked the participants to complete a test that measured their intellectual and creative abilities. The people who the scientists noticed daydreamed the most had significantly higher test scores than the non-daydreaming participants.
6. Listen to music.
Music can have a major influence on a person’s mood. When it comes to a confidence booster, listening to music that has a heavy baseline is the perfect thing.
In a study conducted by Northwestern University, 78 students were asked to listen to a two-minute instrumental piece twice. The first time they listened, the piece had a quiet bass line, and the second time, researchers turned up the bass. After listening to a song with heavy bass, participants said they felt more powerful, dominant and determined.
Rose Leadem
Rose is a writer and artist living in New York City. She writes for magazines, startups and websites, including Entrepreneur Magazine, Frontrunner Magazine, Homepolish and more.