GENERALLY, people follow an individual who has self-confidence and self-assurance.
Recently I was approached by a young man who said: “Jonah, I’m at university studying to be a lawyer, but I don’t have confidence”.
Many people are in a similar state.
After speaking to a crowd, people usually ask me what makes me that confident.
Some would think I was born like that.
No, confidence can be built.
Growing up as a rural boy, I had no confidence.
My confidence is self-made.
- Wrong language contributes to drug use stigma, says key populations
- Wrong language contributes to drug use stigma, says key populations
- Village Rhapsody: Soaring drug abuse cases worrisome
- Village Rhapsody: Soaring drug abuse cases worrisome
Keep Reading
Meaning that there was a picture at the back of my mind of a Jonah that I wanted to become, but there was that inner voice which would say: “Jonah you were born in a poor family, you cannot make it in life. Jonah, you will embarrass yourself, stop wanting to be great. Jonah, you can’t make it!”
These voices have never stopped speaking in my mind.
As old as I have become, the voices want to stop me all the time.
Where does this voice come from?
Our past experiences have an effect on how we judge the future.
As times if we allow this old pattern, its stalls and stops us from doing what we must do.
When this internal voice tries to silence you do the very thing that you are afraid of
Scuba dive
Success and greatness is all about taking risk.
People that live an average life, are people that don’t want to cross the line.
They are just afraid.
Every time when I’m about to take it to the stage, fear comes on me.
My hearts pounds faster and my nerves go weak, but should I give up?
No, I do the thing that I fear.
Fly against your phobia
All of us we have our personal fears.
Talking to another young man this week he said there is an old headmaster who missed an opportunity because they are afraid of flying in an airplane.
They had everything to travel to the US recently and on a fully sponsored trip, but the fear of flying crippled her.
They had to drop the trip because they are afraid of flying in an aeroplane.
People don’t know that you are shivering inside.
In most instances, I have realised that people don’t see that you are afraid, until you begin to show them.
When I was starting in this speaking and training craft, I nearly gave up.
The fear was to stand in front of thousands of eyes staring at me.
The other voice would say, some of those people are better than you, why then try to speak to them?
Having grown up in rural areas, and went to low class schools, the other voice would whisper: “Jonah, you can’t speak English better than them.”
You know what I did? I would still go against that voice and speak.
Challenge your critics
I leant late in life that everyone has critics.
I thought all people should or must love me, but there are people that will hate you and what you do without a tangible reason.
My critics don’t matter.
Learn to do want your critics don’t want you to do.
Challenge your critics until they applause for you.
Hone your skill
The best way to build your confidence is through practice and exercise.
You become an expert by working on your craft daily.
Rehearse in secret.
Do daily what ordinary people don’t do.
Before speaking to any crowd, there is so much of work done before you step on the podium, that is why speakers are so expensive.
It’s not about words.
It’s about the energy behind the words.
It’s about the time one invest in perfecting their speaking craft.
Build self-esteem
As we grew up in school, some kids would laugh at me and I thought I was not good enough.
I was socialised in a poor environment and I thought that I would not amount to anything worth mentioning.
I registered negative thoughts in my sub-conscious mind.
I thought I was rejected and never loved. I thought I was not worthy enough.
But, there is a moment I discovered that I am a great person because of what God says about me in the bible.
I had faith in His word about who I am and I stood up to that bigger image.
Never allow people to talk you out of your greatness.
You are great even if you don’t have enough material possessions to show for it.
Surround yourself with proper people
The best way to build yourself up is to make a choice of great friends or associates.
Some people are so negative, you feel like the world is going to crash the next day.
Surround yourself with people that encourage you despite the current challenges.
Keep your batteries charged
The outside world might not appreciate and motivate you, but you have to stand-up for what you believe.
Silence the inner negative voice and challenge and charge it with a positive and powerful voice.
Talk beautifully about yourself.
- Jonah Nyoni is an author, speaker, and leadership trainer. Follow Jonah on Twitter @jonahnyoni. WhatsApp: +263 772 581 918
