Losing your confidence can be a very disorienting feeling. It can feel like losing a close friend or like a part of you is missing. The desire to find that missing piece can feel overwhelming at times and cause problems in every area of your life. Our work is greatly affected when we lose confidence. A loss of confidence can come from many different places, it might be a result of self-evaluation or something someone else said, a poor outcome, or some area of underperformance.
Our level of confidence is an integral part of our identity and when that gets compromised it can cause fear and anxiety that takes up space in our mind. Those thoughts crowd out other key things that we should be thinking about. There is a danger in allowing work to dictate our identity. Tim Keller said it this way:
“If you make work your identity and you succeed, it’ll go to your head. If you fail, it’ll go to your heart.”
The first step to finding your confidence and keeping it for good is to build on the right foundation. If our confidence is built on our performance we will always live with the pressure of perfection. However, if we allow our confidence to come from God and His approval of us we are able to lay a strong foundation for the rest of life. Isaiah 32:17 says:
“The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.”
We can be confident that God sees us as perfect because Christ met all the requirements for perfection and gave us that gift. This is the place that confidence stems from, not our performance but Christ’s. This truth will radically impact your work if you let it go to your head.
Practically, here are some ways to build on this foundation that might help you get your mojo back:
1. Change your focus
Philippians 4:8 gives us a clear idea of what to focus on. It says: “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Stop focusing on the bad report about yourself and see what God says about you.
2. Do something generous
Generosity moves us away from ourselves. Sometimes the problem with self-confidence is just that – our “self.” Helping or serving someone else has been one of the most encouraging things I can participate in. It helps me forget my problems and moves others forward.
3. Unplug from news and social media
Studies have shown increased levels of anxiety and depression are connected two these two sources of information. The Bible uses fasting as a reset button for your mind, body, and spirit. Try an electronic fast, even just for the weekend.
4. Spend some time with faith-filled positive people
These kinds of people remind you how to hope and look forward to life. Sometimes we just need to be reminded.
5. Find the Right Conference
The benefits of a conference can be a fresh vision, interacting with industry enthusiasts, and learning new skills. Sometimes this can bring a jump start to our inner engine. My favorite has always been the Bob Harrison Increase Event.
“ I thank my God every time I remember you”…”being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
-Philippians 1:1,6
