The Dynamics of Self-Belief

Where does self-belief come from?

Is it derived from a lot of practice, which, in return, gives us confidence? Or is it simply having confidence in general? Can belief be an internal feeling? Does others’ belief in us affect our belief in ourselves?

There are some things I just know I can do well, even if I’m new to them. Maybe those are just God-given gifts, or perhaps my confidence has built up over time. There are things I don’t believe I can do, but I think that’s mostly because I have never done them, or I haven’t put in the work required to excel, which would lead to me believing I can do it. Sometimes, when others don’t believe in us, we agree with them and lose belief in ourselves.

Whether we believe or don’t believe we can do or achieve something, it’s beneficial to reflect on why we feel that way. If we genuinely believe we can do something, maybe we were simply born to do it, so we should go ahead and do it. If we don’t believe we can do something, perhaps we just aren’t as prepared as we should be, or we have been influenced by others to believe that we can’t do it.

Maybe Henry Ford was right when he said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t–you’re right.”