Of all the success qualities and characteristics a person can have, there is one that is the foundation for all others.

When you have this quality, every other success trait either comes along with it (like motivation, a high risk tolerance, the ability to bounce back after failure, etc) or can be learned very easily.

What I’m talking about here is self confidence.

Self confidence in simple terms can be described as the belief you have in yourself and in your abilities.

If you are a self-confident person, you will be relatively free from doubt, and will go about your life in a very assured and relaxed manner.

However, there is a thin line between confidence, over-confidence and foolishness that’s best illustrated by an example: Bill Gates bidding $45 billion for Yahoo is confidence; had he bid $50 billion, it would have been overconfidence; and if he had bid $75 billion, that would have been foolishness.

So, you must know where to draw the line based on reasonable do-able presumptions, but before that, here’s how you can increase your self-confidence:

Dressed not to kill

You shouldn’t wear clothes that hang out too dry – they kill your confidence! Wear smart clothes and go out wearing them after a refreshing bath – or whatever else makes you feel good about yourself. Maybe it’s getting your hair done.

You’ll feel great when you know you’ve left a good impression on people. Okay, no one’s asking you to look like the Duke of Stonehenge – just wear reasonably presentable clothes that look good on you and don’t cost a bomb to buy.

Posture!

If your back is slouched and you walk slowly, then it’s obvious your self-confidence has taken a hit. Plus, this posture makes you look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame!

If you want to boost your self-confidence then walk erect and at a purposeful pace.

Do unto others what they DON’T do unto you

Yeah, you got that right! No one’s said a kind word to you, no one has complimented you, no one has paid any attention to you when you’re talking because they are always so full up of themselves.

Well, you do the opposite – compliment people, look at them when they are talking, listen patiently to them and say nice things. You will automatically be viewed as a positive person and your confidence levels will bet a 5-star rating.

Get moving

Exercising can build humungous muscles on your self-confidence. Work out, stay in shape, make friends, enjoy yourself – you’ve got the picture, so go ahead and do a quick exercise right now!

Lead from the front

Lead yourself from the front – don’t shy away from any tasks, speak up when you think it necessary (but don’t argue) and don’t be a backbencher.

Don’t fear anyone or anything. Just muster up the will and the courage to do things and your self-confidence will beef up on its own.

Kill the superego

Everyone has an ego, but if they dwell too much on it, then it grows in size and they begin feeling overly important about themselves.

Ego is not confidence. Cockiness is not confidence.

This is wrong – do not ever act pompous or be rude to anyone, because if you do then people will start ignoring or avoiding you, and that will puncture the balloon of your ego really hard, killing in one go whatever little self-confidence you had. Remember, the humbler you are, the higher your self-esteem goes!

To build self-confidence you have to give up on that defeatist attitude and start thinking positively. Sure, others may snicker, but let them, who cares! People with low self esteem may care what others think about them, but not you.

You know there’s this anonymous saying that goes, “It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not”.