Written By: Elena Stewart

Self-confidence is defined as the feeling of trust one has in their abilities and decision-making skills. While it’s normal for confidence levels to flicker from time to time, individuals who learn to consistently maintain a healthy level of confidence tend to be highly successful in both professional and personal spheres of life. If you’re currently struggling with low confidence, this article by Ring Bandits will provide you with some tried and tested ways to turn the tide and live your best life.

Set Achievable Goals

There is nothing more damaging to confidence than the failure to achieve goals. But, if you consistently find yourself unable to reach targets you set for yourself, even after putting in your best effort, the problem could lie in your goal-setting habits.

While goals you set should be challenging, they also need to be achievable. For example, if you do not exercise but strive to have a fit physique, understand that it will not be achieved in a few weeks. At a minimum, you will need to dedicate a few months to experience noticeable changes.

If you’re confused about what goals to set, here’s what you can do:

• Focus on your best skills and strengths. 

• Create goals that involve using those skills to achieve targets. For example, utilizing your writing skills to start a blog.

• Rather than focusing on the end, create weekly/monthly milestones which are easier to achieve.

• In time as you reach these milestones, you will experience a noticeable increase in your confidence levels.

Surround Yourself with Supportive People

Surrounding yourself with individuals who constantly put you down or promote doubt will have a negative impact on your mood, confidence, and productivity. Conversely, having a group of people who support you in your endeavors and provide consistent motivation will help you build confidence to tackle challenges and overcome doubt.

As reported by Very Well Mind, friends have a major impact on one's self-confidence. Having a strong friend circle improves your:

• Decision-making skills
• Self-esteem
• Physical health
• Ability to handle stress

If you find yourself unable to make positive strides in your career, find a mentor who can guide you on how to achieve professional goals, give honest feedback on your skills and provide support in times of need.

Learn New Skills

As reported by Thrive Global, learning new skills can be a boon for your self-confidence for a multitude of reasons. First, you will be dedicating your time towards something of value. Second, having new skills in your arsenal will open doors to better opportunities such as higher-paying jobs.

When looking for ways to learn new skills, there can be no better option than to pursue an online degree. Whether it be for master's, bachelor's, or associate's degrees, online institutions such as the University of Phoenix provide you with specialized courses in any field of your choosing. 

In addition to degree-specific skills, attending university will lead to the development of important soft skills such as:

• Effective communication
• Critical thinking 
• Problem-solving

Additionally, handling a degree along with working will provide a good challenge to sharpen your time management skills.

When it comes to building confidence, it's important to take a multifaceted approach involving constant effort from your end and having the support of those around you.