Advantage Coaching & Training

As a special thank you to our readers of "The Confidence Plan" we are offering the following complementary services:

Free introductory confidence Tele-Class, register here!
Meeting outlines for the trainers and team leaders
Confidence building resources for coaches and corporations
Confidence building movies, songs, art, and quotes

If you have purchased a copy of The Confidence Plan you are entitled to join Dr. Tim Ursiny and a group of fellow readers on a complimentary teleconference to help you take your confidence to the next level. In this class, we will cover:

How to most effectively use The Confidence Plan
Common challenges to confidence
Mental, emotional, behavioral, relational and spiritual techniques for raising your self-confidence

Where and When?

You can join us for this class from the convenience of your own home or office simply by calling the number that we assign you at the time of the class. The only cost to you will be your normal cost for a long distance phone call. Call us at 800-657-5904 or contact us at info@advantagecoaching.com to sign up.

The date and time of the next teleclass will be determined and communicated once a sufficient number of readers enroll.

We also offer short one-on-one confidence coaching sessions with a coach at Advantage Coaching & Training for those considering personal coaching for building self-confidence.

If you are a trainer or team leader and have purchased a copy of The Confidence Plan you are entitled to these free guidelines for upgrading the confidence of your teams.

Introduction:

Describe to the team the theory of building confidence using a holistic approach (pages 2 – 3)
Share why it is important to grow confidence (pages 11 – 13)
Describe the differences between confidence, efficacy and esteem (page 19)
Ask participants what they want to get out of the training (what would make it successful?) – List these on a flip chart
Have participants take the test on pages 49 – 52 to determine their best approach to building their self-confidence.
Have the group discuss their findings – Mention that there is no right score, but that they might want to pay attention in the workshop to those areas that scored lower (suggesting that they are not using that method of building confidence as much as others)

I. Mental Strategies: Beliefs that lead to peak performance

A. Review the research on resiliency on pages 31 - 33

B. Read Steve’s story on pages 68 – 70 and discuss how our mindsets impact us (have the group come up with their own examples)

C. Present TruthTalk to the group (pages 73-78) by doing an example in advance that may apply to this particular group. Walk them through the formula

D. Have participants do the TruthTalk exercise on pages 77 - 78 on a personal example to them (divide them into pairs to do this)

E. Debrief the group on the exercise; have them share what stood out to them and how they can apply the technique

F. Present the concept of Thought-stopping (pages 85 – 88)

G. Pass out rubber-bands (you can use regular rubber-bands or purchase the “ACT Confident” bands from our website

H. Have participants process how they can add this technique to the TruthTalk technique (you can joke around and have them snap and practice the technique aloud)

I. Discuss the concept of affirmations from pages 92 - 93

J. Have participants generate their own affirmations and share them in groups of three

II. Emotional Approaches: Building deep confidence through insights and feelings

A. Read my 4-way stop signs story on pages (or bring in your own story of a time when your emotions dictated your response in a negative way)

B. Discuss the research on why we feel what we feel on pages 109 – 110; have the class discuss their viewpoints on these theories

C. Review the section on impacting emotions with all of your senses on pages 121 – 126; ask the class for examples of using imagery to improve performance

D. Divide them into 5 groups; have each group take one of the senses from the exercises on pages 127 – 128 and come up with confidence ideas for that sense (i.e., one group gets sight, one gets hearing, etc.)

E. Have the groups report their answers (make sure you have fun with this and actually have them imagine the answers given)

F. Note to the group how the energy shifted in the room to the positive and ask them how they can use this to build confidence

G. Review using art, music and movies to impact confidence on pages 129 – 132, then divide them into groups of 2 – 3 to come up with examples in each category

H. Process together as a group and pull out some examples in each category

I. If you have your own favorites and permission to do so, you might want to play a 5 – 15 minute clip of one of your favorite movies or play one of your favorite songs

J. Debrief the group on the piece; have them share what stood out to them and how they can apply the technique

III. Behavioral Tactics: Actions that create confidence and success

A. Share a personal story of a time you built your confidence by doing something of which you were afraid

B. Do the exercise on page 154 – 155 as a whole group (if possible)

C. Process which elements you can control and share Gary’s point from page 154

D. Challenge participants with the goal concepts on pages 158 – 159 and have participants individually work on there goals using the exercises on pages 159 – 161

E. Debrief as a group and have as many as possible share their response to this exercise

F. Compare the tactics of systematic desensitization and flooding from sections 4.4 and 4.6; ask participants to come up with positives and negatives to each approach

G. Ask them to write down something they know that they should face, but have been avoiding; then have them pick one of the techniques and write down a plan for how to address this

H. Break them into pairs to share their plan; then bring together as a group to debrief

I. Discuss the concept of learned helplessness from pages 169 – 170, then have participants do the exercise on pages 172 - 174

J. Debrief them by having some or all of them share their answers to the above exercise

IV. Relational Factors: Developing a community that recharges rather than drains

A. Share research on the stereotype threat effect on page 193 – 194 and ask them why the knowledge of this is important

B. Read Mary’s story on pages 194 – 196 or share a personal story that captures this point

C. Have them complete the assignment on pages 196 – 197, but let them know that they will not be required to share this with others

D. Have them complete the assignment on page 203 and ask for a few examples from the group

E. Discuss the information on conflict presented on pages 206 – 209 and share your own view on the impact of conflict on the organization

F. Discuss the research on contact hypothesis presented on pages 205 - 206

G. Have participants do the exercise on pages 209 – 210 (divide them into pairs to do this)

H. Debrief the group on the kind of spirit they need to have in conflict (the part of the exercise on 210; sharing of the first part of the exercise may be too threatening in the group)

I. Have the group complete the feedback exercise on page 215 individually and then share in groups of three

J. Bring the group back together and discuss the research on the fundamental attribution error, the actor-observer bias and hindsight bias found on pages 217 – 218; ask the group to discuss the implications of this research for their daily communication

V. Spiritual Centeredness: Discovering unbreakable confidence by living your purpose and mission

A. Read the story of something bigger than us on pages 231 – 233 (or share your own story)

B. Discuss the principle of moving from success to significance (pages 243 - 246)

C. Have participants do the exercise on pages 246 – 247

D. Divide them into pairs to discuss

E. As a whole group have several of them share how they completed, “I have the greatest passion in life when I…:

F. Discuss the research on cognitive dissonance found on pages 249 – 251; discuss with the whole group the implications of this research on our confidence and our performance

G. Have individuals complete the cognitive dissonance exercise on pages 253 – 254 and then have them share what stood out to them and how they can apply their insights

H. Discuss the importance of building a personal mission statement (264)

I. Have individuals begin to create a personal mission statement using the formula on pages 265 – 267 (let them know that they don’t need to make it perfect, but rather are just getting a start)

J. Debrief the group on the exercise; have them share what stood out to them and how they can apply the technique (can also have them process in pairs if time permits)

Conclusion:

Pair participants up to create accountability – Have them come up with one strategy that they will commit to using for the next month to build their confidence and one strategy that they will implement for increasing the confidence of others.
Bring them back together. In large groups ask for a few volunteers to share. In smaller groups go around the room and have each person share his or her plan.
Review expectations that the group create earlier for the training and congratulate them on any successes
End with a personal story that inspires or convicts participants

Introduction:

Describe to the team the theory of building confidence using a holistic approach (pages 2 – 3)
Share why it is important to grow confidence (pages 11 – 13)
Describe the differences between confidence, efficacy and esteem (page 19)
Ask participants what they want to get out of the training (what would make it successful?) – List these on a flip chart
Have participants take the test on pages 49 – 52 to determine their best approach to building their self-confidence.
Have the group discuss their findings – Mention that there is no right score, but that they might want to pay attention in the workshop to those areas that scored lower (suggesting that they are not using that method of building confidence as much as others)

I. Mental Strategies: Beliefs that lead to peak performance

A. Review the research on resiliency on pages 31 - 33

B. Read Steve’s story on pages 68 – 70 and discuss how our mindsets impact us (have the group come up with their own examples)

C. Present TruthTalk to the group (pages 73-78) by doing an example in advance that may apply to this particular group. Walk them through the formula

D. Have participants do the TruthTalk exercise on pages 77 - 78 on a personal example to them (divide them into pairs to do this)

E. Debrief the group on the exercise; have them share what stood out to them and how they can apply the technique

F. Present the concept of Thought-stopping (pages 85 – 88)

G. Pass out rubber-bands (you can use regular rubber-bands or purchase the “ACT Confident” bands from our website

H. Have participants process how they can add this technique to the TruthTalk technique (you can joke around and have them snap and practice the technique aloud)

II. Emotional Approaches: Building deep confidence through insights and feelings

A. Read my 4-way stop signs story on pages (or bring in your own story of a time when your emotions dictated your response in a negative way)

B. Discuss the research on why we feel what we feel on pages 109 – 110; have the class discuss their viewpoints on these theories

C. Review the section on impacting emotions with all of your senses on pages 121 – 126; ask the class for examples of using imagery to improve performance

D. Divide them into 5 groups; have each group take one of the senses from the exercises on pages 127 – 128 and come up with confidence ideas for that sense (i.e., one group gets sight, one gets hearing, etc.)

E. Have the groups report their answers (make sure you have fun with this and actually have them imagine the answers given)

F. Note to the group how the energy shifted in the room to the positive and ask them how they can use this to build confidence

G. Review using art, music and movies to impact confidence on pages 129 – 132, then process together as a group and pull out some examples in each category

H. If you have your own favorites and permission to do so, you might want to play a 5 minute clip of one of your favorite movies or play one of your favorite songs

I. Debrief the group on the piece; have them share what stood out to them and how they can apply the technique

III. Behavioral Tactics: Actions that create confidence and success

A. Share a personal story of a time you built your confidence by doing something of which you were afraid

B. Do the exercise on page 154 – 155 as a whole group (if possible)

C. Process which elements you can control and share Gary’s point from page 154

D. Compare the tactics of systematic desensitization and flooding from sections 4.4 and 4.6; ask participants to come up with positives and negatives to each approach

E. Ask them to write down something they know that they should face, but have been avoiding; then have them pick one of the techniques and write down a plan for how to address this

F. Break them into pairs to share their plan; then bring together as a group to debrief

IV. Relational Factors: Developing a community that recharges rather than drains

A. Discuss the information on conflict presented on pages 206 – 209 and share your own view on the impact of conflict on the organization

B. Discuss the research on contact hypothesis presented on pages 205 - 206

C. Have participants do the exercise on pages 209 – 210 (divide them into pairs to do this)

D. Debrief the group on the kind of spirit they need to have in conflict (the part of the exercise on 210; sharing of the first part of the exercise may be too threatening in the group)

E. Have the group complete the feedback exercise on page 215 individually and then share in groups of three

F. Bring the group back together and discuss the research on the fundamental attribution error, the actor-observer bias and hindsight bias found on pages 217 – 218; ask the group to discuss the implications of this research for their daily communication

V. Spiritual Centeredness: Discovering unbreakable confidence by living your purpose and mission

A. Read the story of something bigger than us on pages 231 – 233 (or share your own story)

B. Discuss the principle of moving from success to significance (pages 243 - 246)

C. Have participants do the exercise on pages 246 – 247

D. Divide them into pairs to discuss

E. As a whole group have several of them share how they completed, “I have the greatest passion in life when I…:

F. Discuss the importance of building a personal mission statement (264)

G. If time permits, have individuals begin to create a personal mission statement using the formula on pages 265 – 267 (let them know that they don’t need to make it perfect, but rather are just getting a start); if you run out of time then encourage them to do this on their own.

H. Debrief the group on the exercise; have them share what stood out to them and how they can apply the technique (can also have them process in pairs if time permits)

Conclusion:

Pair participants up to create accountability – Have them come up with one strategy that they will commit to using for the next month to build their confidence and one strategy that they will implement for increasing the confidence of others.
Bring them back together. In large groups ask for a few volunteers to share. In smaller groups go around the room and have each person share his or her plan.
Review expectations that the group create earlier for the training and congratulate them on any successes
End with a personal story that inspires or convicts participants

The Confidence Plan is simple for team leaders to utilize because it is built on 20-minutes a day exercises. While there are many creative ways to use the book we do offer this format as one potential and effective use of the resource.

Goal: Build the confidence of the group to the next level

Format: Done over 7 weekly team meetings

Time devoted in meeting: Anywhere from 15 – 30 minutes

Pre-meeting homework: Each participant should read and do the exercises in The Confidence Plan; Section 1: Getting Started and complete the test on pages 49 – 52 to determine their best approach to building their self-confidence. These results should be emailed to the team leader in advance.

Team leader assignment: Review and tally the results. Determine which areas of building self-confidence are most preferred (highest scores) and which is the lowest utilized (lowest scores).

Meeting 1:

Review the findings from the test (can have individuals share their insights and you share the group trends)
Describe to the team the theory of building confidence using a holistic approach (pages 2 – 3)
Share why it is important to grow confidence (pages 11 – 13)
Describe the differences between confidence, efficacy and esteem (page 19)
Ask the team to share their reasons for wanting to build confidence and make sure that you have “buy in”
Ask team members to share insights from section 1 exercises
Set assignment for next time: All group members are to read and do the exercises in Section 2: Mental Strategies (pages 61 – 99)

Meeting 2:

Pick one of the methods in Section 2 to share. Pick the one that speaks to you the most and share your experience of experimenting with it.
Separate the team into pairs and ask them to share which technique was most effective or intriguing for them
Bring back together as a whole group and ask them to share reactions, thoughts and successes with the techniques
Challenge the team to be accountable for implementing these strategies weekly
Go around the room and ask each team member to make an accountability statement concerning his or her practice of a specific technique
Set assignment for next time: All group members are to read and do the exercises in Section 3: Emotional Approaches (pages 101 – 144)

Meeting 3:

Pick one of the methods in Section 3 to share. Pick the one that speaks to you the most and share your experience of experimenting with it. Another alternative is to have one team member present each week at the beginning of the meeting on this same issue.

Separate the team into pairs and ask them to share which technique was most effective or intriguing for them (make sure they are with different pairs in each meeting)
Bring back together as a whole group and ask them to share reactions, thoughts and successes with the techniques
Challenge the team to be accountable for implementing these strategies weekly
Go around the room and ask each team member to make an accountability statement concerning his or her practice of a specific technique
Set assignment for next time: All group members are to read and do the exercises in Section 4: Behavioral Tactics (pages 145 – 184)

Meeting 4:

Follow the same format as meeting 3
Set assignment for next time: All group members are to read and do the exercises in Section 5: Relational Factors (pages 185 – 227)

Meeting 5:

Follow the same format as meetings 3 and 4
Set assignment for next time: All group members are to read and do the exercises in Section 6: Spiritual Centeredness (pages 229 – 272)

Meeting 6:

Follow the same format as meetings 3, 4 and 5
Set assignment for next time: All group members are review the book and come in with specific action steps and accountability for the next 6 months to practice building confidence

Meeting 7:

Go around the group and have each person share his or her confidence building strategies for the next 6 months
Record these and check in with the group members once a month to help hold them accountable to upgrading their confidence to the next level

For additional help in taking your teams to the next level of confidence and performance, call us at 800-657-5904 or contact us at info@advantagecoaching.com.

We also offer short one-on-one confidence coaching sessions with a coach at Advantage Coaching & Training for those considering personal coaching for building self-confidence.

“Coach the Coach” Confidence Programs

As coaches we are often called upon to aid someone in building their self-confidence. Advantage Coaching & Training offers a complimentary teleclass to coaches who would like to learn how to use The Confidence Plan to help clients grow in confidence and success. We schedule these classes on an “as needed” basis. Therefore, if you are a coach and would like to have a group teleclass call with other coaches interested in building confidence then please call us at 800-657-5904 or contact us at info@advantagecoaching.com to sign up.

Confidence Resources for Corporations

Corporations with a culture of confidence have these factors in common:
Workers feel conviction when facing errors rather than shame and self-protection
Morale grows in times of challenge rather than diminishes
Change and transition create opportunity instead of paralysis
Employees are empowered to make decisions
Upper management is free to focus on the highest and best use of their time
Accountability is seen as a gift rather than feared
Creativity flows and turns into concrete action
Employees are loyal and hard working

Do you have a culture of confidence? If not, try three simple steps:

Take the time to find out what drives your key employees. What is their mission? What keeps them up at night? What motivates them? As much as possible, tie these in with the goals of the corporation (genuinely).
Build some team meetings or events that focus on morale and confidence building. Walk your team through The Confidence Plan and help them upgrade to the next level.
Decorate the office with visual signs of success for each department. Have a contest to have the different groups build a creative display that emphasizes areas of success for their department (specifically focused on team rather than individual success).

We give keynote addresses, trainings, brown bag lunches, team facilitation and one on one coaching around confidence building for your teams and key employees. The best way to determine how ACT can help you build a culture of confidence is to do a telephone consultation at no charge with one of our coaches. To talk about building the confidence of your teams or any individuals within your company call us at 800-657-5904 or contact us at info@advantagecoaching.com.

The following represent a list of art that our clients and coaches suggest for impacting your confidence. Feel free to submit your own choices and in which category it falls by emailing us at info@advantagecoaching.com.

Movies that make us laugh

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
A Fish Called Wanda
Get Shorty
SNL – The Best of Chris Farley
Bull Durham
School of Rock

Movies that show persistence, tenacity and hope

The Shawshank Redemption
For Love of the Game
Remember the Titans
Rocky
Thirteen Days
Sea Biscuit
Fight Club
Black Hawk Down
Star Wars
Field of Dreams

Movies that remind us of important things in life

My Dinner with Andre
Dances with Wolves
Amadeus
High Fidelity
American History X
Butterfly Effect
The Red Violin
Big Fish
My Life

Movies that touch us

Lost in Translation
Good Will Hunting
The Green Mile
On Golden Pond
American Splendor
Forrest Gump
Notting Hill
Dead Poet’s Society

Movies about sacrifice and grace

The Passion of the Christ
Dead Man Walking
The Mission
Life is Beautiful
What Dreams May Come

Movies about overcoming fear

Defending your Life
Fearless
Grand Canyon
Phenomenon
Stand By Me

Emmanuel G. Leutze: "George Washington Crossing the Delaware": This classic American painting urges me to persevere despite obstacles. Washington and his rag tag group of colonials shaped history and launched our great nation.
"Michelangelo: Cistine Chapel fresco "The Creation of Man": This portion of the fabulous ceiling in the Cistine Chapel reminds me to reach for my highest qualities by remembering the spark of the divine that is in all of us.
The Pieta - Sculpture of Mary cradling the crucified Christ: The Pieta is a stunning sculpture of Mary cradling the crucified Christ. For me, it symbolizes the power of great love and great sacrifice.
Chagall: Creation of Man: Chagall paints with vibrant colors and joyous whimsy and remind me not to think too much.
Van Gogh: Starry Night: Starry Night is an intense work. Van Gogh's accomplishments despite mental illness remind me to use the gifts I have. Great things can come from imperfect beings.
Cassat: Children on the Beach, Mother & Child: Mary Cassat was a pioneer in her day. A female American who broke the gender and cultural barriers of the French male art world. Independent and strong she remained close to her nurturing soul by bringing the innocence of childhood and maternal love to canvas. Mary shows me that I can be accomplished and feminine at the same time.
Raphael: St George Fighting the Dragon, The School of Athens (fresco at the Vatican): These famous renaissance works bring myth to life. Great stories give me inspiration and hope.
Rodin (sculptor): The Thinker, Hand of God, The Kiss: Rodin, the impressionist sculptor, created stunning works that throb with passion. Passion is what elevates the mundane to the magnificent.
Nara Daibusta: World's largest gilded Buddha (49 feet) completed 752 AD. in Nara City, Japan: This Buddha is awesome for it sheer size and age. The Buddha reminds me to be still and think as well as be busy.
Great Accomplishments of Man: Egyptian Pyramids, Greek & Roman Temples, Great Wall of China, Stonehenge, Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu: Machu Picchu is a city located high in the Andes Mountains in modern Peru. Machu Picchu (which means "manly peak") was most likely a royal estate and religious retreat. It was built between 1460 and 1470 AD by Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, an Incan ruler. The city has an altitude of 8,000 feet.

The great accomplishments are architectural works of art. All of them were created before technological inventions. They are inspiring as a reminder of the great things we can accomplish with vision, discipline and perseverance.

Songs that Pump us up

Theme from Rocky
Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
Dancing Queen - ABBA

Songs of Comfort/Touch Us

Come Away with Me - Nora Jones
From this Moment - Shania Twain
Shout - Tears for Fears
You are the Sunshine of my Life - Stevie Wonder
Pride - U2
Breathe - Faith Hill

Songs of Community

I’m a Believer - Smash Mouth
I’ll Stand by You - Pretenders

Songs of Defiance

Respect - Aretha Franklin
Satisfaction - Rolling Stones
Don’t you Forget About Me - Simple Minds

Songs that make us laugh

Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Kids in America - Kim Wilde

Songs that show us Hope

I Believe I can Fly - R Kelly
I’m Like a bird - Nelly Furtado
I will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
Melt with you - Modern English
Tiny Dancer - Elton John
Believe - Cher
Don’t Stop Believin - Journey

Songs that help overcome Fear

Iris - Goo Goo dolls
Superman - Five for Fighting
Complicated - Advril Lavigne
In my Place - Cold Play

"There is a difference between conceit and confidence. Conceit is bragging about yourself. Confidence means you believe you can get the job done.": Johnny Unitas
"Be humble, for the worst thing in the world is of the same stuff as you; be confident, for the stars are of the same stuff as you.": Nicholai Velimirovic
"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance ": Bruce Barton
"With pride comes disgrace, while wisdom comes with humility.": Christian Bible, New International Version
Proverbs 11:2
"Confidence is a plant of slow growth in an aged heart.": William Pitt
"If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.": Thomas Alva Edison
"All of us have wonders hidden in our breasts, only needing circumstances to evoke them.": Charles Dickens
"Thousands of geniuses live and die undiscovered - either by themselves or by others.": Mark Twain
"Do or do not, there is no try.": Jedi Master Yoda from “The Empire Strikes Back”
"When you engage in systematic, purposeful action, using and stretching your abilities to the maximum, you cannot help but feel positive and confident abut yourself.": Brian Tracey
"Your problem is you're... too busy holding onto your unworthiness.": Ram Dass
"With confidence, you can reach truly amazing heights; without confidence, even the simplest accomplishments are beyond your grasp.": Jim Loehr
"My inferiority complex is not as good as yours.": Unknown
"We probably wouldn't worry about what people think of us if we could know how seldom they do.": Olin Miller
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.": Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Confidence is that feeling by which the mind embarks in great and honorable courses with a sure hope and trust in itself.": Marcus T. Cicero
"Confidence is courage at ease.": Daniel Maher
"Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.": Samuel Johnson
"When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.": African Proverb
"Confidence is a very fragile thing.": Joe Montana
"Of all our infirmities, the most savage is to despise our being.": Michel de Montaigne
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.": Anaïs Nin
"I was thinking of my patients, and how the worst moment for them was when they discovered they were masters of their own fate. It was not a matter of bad or good luck. When they could no longer blame fate, they were in despair.": Anaïs Nin
"Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.": Veronica A. Shoffstall
"When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they take better care of it there.": Cecil Selig
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.": Eleanor Roosevelt
"Confidence is the feeling you have before you understand the situation.": Unknown
"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.": Edmund Hillary
"Only as high as I reach can I grow, Only as far as I seek can I go, Only as deep as I look can I see, Only as much as I dream can I be.": Karen Ravn
"If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.": Vincent Van Gogh
"I am not a has-been. I am a will be.": Lauren Bacall
"It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes. ": Sally Field
"We are all such a waste of our potential, like three-way lamps using one-way bulbs.": Mignon McLaughlin
"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.": Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
"I've spent most of my life walking under that hovering cloud, jealousy, whose acid raindrops blurred my vision and burned holes in my heart. Once I learned to use the umbrella of confidence, the skies cleared up for me and the sunshine called joy became my faithful companion.": Astrid Alauda
"It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.": W.C. Fields
"A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her.": David Brinkley
"Confidence is the result of hours and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication.": Roger Staubach
"I've always had confidence. It came because I have lots of initiative. I wanted to make something of myself.": Eddie Murphy
"The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do. You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.": Michael Jordan
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.": Eleanor Roosevelt
"I never think that there's something I can't do, whether it's beating my opponent one on one or practicing another hour because something about my game is just not right.": Ervin “Magic” Johnson
"Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It's the sure footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life.": Ann Landers
"A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. Every day sends to their graves obscure men whose timidity prevented them from making a first effort.": Sydney Smith
"If you are prepared, then you are able to feel confident.": Robert J. Ringer
"Courage comes from wanting to do it well. Security comes from knowing you can do it well. Confidence comes from having done it well.": Unknown
"You need to play with supreme confidence, or else you'll lose again, and then losing becomes a habit.": Joe Paterno
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.": Christian Bible, New International Version
Romans 5: 3-5
"Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.": Peter T. Mcintyre
"Every failure made me more confident. Because I wanted even more to achieve as revenge. To show that I could.": Roman Polanski
"People are slow to claim confidence in undertakings of magnitude.": Ovid
"While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior.": Henry C. Link
"Other people's opinion of you does not have to become your reality.": Les Brown
"The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others.": Sonya Friedman
"Oliver Wendell Holmes once attended a meeting in which he was the shortest man present."Dr. Holmes," quipped a friend, "I should think you'd feel rather small among us big fellows." "I do," retorted Holmes, "I feel like a dime among a lot of pennies." ": Author Unknown
"People are crying up the rich and variegated plumage of the peacock, and he is himself blushing at the sight of his ugly feet.": Sa'Di
"Nobody holds a good opinion of a man who has a low opinion of himself. ": Anthony Trollope
"Don't let people drive you crazy when you know it's in walking distance.": Author Unknown
"True prosperity is the result of well-placed confidence in ourselves and our fellow man.": Unknown
"I'm going to be more assertive…if that's OK with you.": Unknown?
"If you really put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price.": Author Unknown
"A decent boldness ever meets with friends.": Homer
"You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose.": Lou Holtz and John Heisler
"I have great faith in fools; self-confidence my friends call it.": Edgar Allan Poe
"Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.": Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Smile, for everyone lacks self-confidence and more than any other one thing a smile reassures them.": Andre Maurois
"Always hold your head up, but be careful to keep your nose at a friendly level.": Max L. Forman
"Forgiveness to the injured doth belong, but they ne’re pardon who have done the wrong.": John Dryden
"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.": The Christian Bible, New International Version
Matthew 7:2
"It's lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believe in myself.": Muhammad Ali
"The man who acquires the ability to take full possession of his own mind may take possession of anything else to which he is justly entitled.": Andrew Carnegie
"Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they're yours.": Richard Bach
"Never build a case against yourself.": Norman Vincent Peale
"There can be no great courage where there is no confidence or assurance, and half the battle is in the conviction that we can do what we undertake.": Orison Swett Marden
"As is our confidence, so is our capacity.": William Hazlitt
"Confidence is the most important single factor in this game, and no matter how great your natural talent, there is only one way to obtain and sustain it: work.": Jack Nicklaus
"Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right.": Henry Ford
"Self-distrust is the cause of most of our failure. In the assurance of strength there is strength, and, they are the weakest, however strong, who have no faith in themselves or their powers.": Chrisitan Nevell Bovee
"I think it's the mark of a great player to be confident in tough situations.": John McEnroe
"God wisely designed the human body so that we can neither pat our own backs nor kick ourselves too easily.": Author Unknown
"The things we hate about ourselves aren't more real than things we like about ourselves.": Ellen Goodman
"It's hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head.": Sally Kempton
"It's me who is my enemy, Me who beats me up, Me who makes the monsters, Me who strips my confidence.": Paula Cole
"We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies.": Roderick Thorp, Rainbow Drive
"Assurance is two-thirds of success.": Gaelic Proverb
"For they conquer who believe they can.": John Dryden
"If you must love your neighbor as yourself, it is at least as fair to love yourself as your neighbor.": Nicholas de Chamfort
"If you doubt yourself, then indeed you stand on shaky ground.": Henrik Ibsen
"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.": Author Unknown
"Don't live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable.": Wendy Wasserstein
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go.": Dr. Seuss
"Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.": Mary Kay Ash
"Our ordinary mind always tries to persuade us that we are nothing but acorns and that our greatest happiness will be to become bigger, fatter, shinier acorns; but that is of interest only to pigs. Our faith gives us knowledge of something better: that we can become oak trees.": E.F. Schumacher
"Mediocrity is a handrail.": Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, Mes pensées
"If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.": Christian Bible, New International Version
Mark 3:25
"Bashfulness is an ornament to youth, but a reproach to old age.": Aristotle
"Abraham Lincoln did not go to Gettysburg having commissioned a poll to find out what would sell in Gettysburg. There were no people with percentages for him, cautioning him about this group or that group or what they found in exit polls a year earlier. When will we have the courage of Lincoln? ": Robert Cole