Being self-confident means knowing your own limits, accepting your weaknesses, your doubts, your fears, but also being aware of the resources and the talent you have. In a word, it means to appreciate your true value.
Lack of confidence may be triggered by certain failures, criticism, negative feedback, or rejection. All these could provoke you to take a step back and make you reluctant to take any risk, for fear you could fail again. Sometimes we forget our past accomplishments too easily and we choose to focus on what we could not get or what didn’t work the way we would have liked. You can raise your self-confidence, but a willingness to change and to take certain steps is required.
A first step is to remember the successes you've experienced. No matter how small or insignificant they may seem to you, bring them to the foreground. Even if they occured long ago, remember what you have accomplished as a musician.
Take action right now!
Write down 10 accomplishments you have had throughout the years. These should include both small and big accomplishments.
What successes have you had as a musician so far? For instance: I won a prize at a competition three years ago; I got a very high grade on an exam last year; I got a scholarship in my second university year. You get the idea.
Your accomplishments:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Suggestion:
Self-confidence is difficult to build and far too easy to lose, which is why you need determination and the will to change. Now that you've brought your past accomplishments to the foreground, allow yourself to enjoy them. And do not forget to add future ones on the list!
