What if I were to tell you, that you were one of a kind. In this entire world, there is only one YOU. With all your faults and failures; coupled with your strengths and successes. Pretty deep stuff. We all have our stories and they are one of a kind. This is what makes you an individual and one simple reason to always stand tall!
We have been pushing ‘confidence’ lately, because it is the key to success. You’ll notice when you’re self-assured people treat you differently and the world around you responds distinctly. Our recent guest Tom Reber, had an affirmation “I am a magnet for Money and success.” Repeating that to himself, writing it down, believing it, helped build his certainty and the world responds in kind. That to me is the point of affirmations, to patch up the ‘unsure’ with the sure headedness that can drive you when things get tough.
Have you been developing your affirmations my tile friend? What are your weaknesses? Have you been saying a couple sentences to reassure yourself and give you a foundation to build on? If you do one thing after reading this blog, make one affirmation, and say it to yourself when you get out of bed, when you’re driving to the job, when you feel yourself getting weak. This stuff is so powerful, I know it’ll change your mindset.
We’re harping on confidence because we look around and we see many of you dogging on yourselves. Yes, you work with your hands, what the heck is wrong with that?! Yes, we all have our faults… who cares?! Let us find the strength within ourselves to rise above our ‘head trash’!
One technique that will immediately improve your self-confidence, is constantly being aware of your posture. Your posture is pivotal to how you feel about yourself and how other people perceive you. There’s a lot of slouching going on out there. A chiropractor’s worst nightmare! Looking down at our phones, sitting in our comfy chairs…These things have an impact on us. Try standing up straight, with your shoulders pinched back. This takes practice and thought. When you are standing and speaking with someone, instead of leaning against a wall, or standing on one foot…Plant both feet, toes slightly facing in and squeeze your buttocks. This will force you to stiffen your core and stand up straight. These are actionable tips that will notably change your posture, in turn making you a more formidable person.
We’re not recommending that you fake anything. There’s nothing worse than a pompous, self- important, egotist, that thinks they’re all that and a bag of chips. That’s not what we are encouraging you to be. My favorite term and one that I want you to think about: “Competence breeds confidence.” Presumably you are an expert in your field, setting tile. You have that confidence in spades. You’re building a stronger mindset by doing affirmations. Great. Now, focus on the skills that you aren’t as strong at. While everyone else is getting comfortable and only doing what they are good at, spend 30% of your time becoming competent at something you’re not as good at. Whether that is public speaking, belly to belly sales, anything you can think of. The resources for improvement in these areas are endless. The more you practice the stuff you’re horrible at, the more confident you will become.
Another handy tip is to immerse yourself in the world of top performers. If you’re feeling down, turn on an interview with someone you admire and listen to what they have to say. The other day, I got sucked into a Tony Robbins rabbit hole. First, I listened to his interview with Conor McGregor. You want to talk about confidence, that guy has the ‘it’ factor. After listening to that, I was so pumped up, I could hardly contain myself. To keep the ball rolling, I then listened to Tony’s interview with Dana White, the owner of the UFC. Dana has such a rags to riches story. I felt inspired hearing that when he was working as a bellhop in Boston, riding a bike to get around…He was listening to Tony’s book “Awaken the Giant Within”. He also mentioned that he would give the book away as gifts to his friends and family. I thought to myself “I give out my favorite books too!” That built me up and let me know that I was on the right track. To hear other high performers talk about their techniques and know you’re doing similar things…yeah, you got it, it’s a confidence builder.
One danger is taking your newfound confidence too far. We also need to have a healthy dose of self- awareness when operating in our new realm. An interesting term: “The Dunning-Kruger effect” created by two Columbia University professors. This cognitive bias essentially says, the most ignorant people are the most self-assured in their beliefs. Don’t be that person! Study, Learn, be open to new ideas…but most importantly, be introspective and self-aware.
You’ll know when you’re on the right track. Things will start falling into place, you’ll find yourself cutting out terms like, “um” “maybe” “I think” “uh”. People will be attracted to you, quality people. They’ll want some of that mojo to rub off on them. You’ll walk into a potential client’s home thinking “I pity these people if they don’t hire me.” Because you’ll know you’re the best. You’ll be sure of what you have to offer.
Another technique to build your confidence is being around confident people that build you up. This has worked wonders for us. We have wives that depend on us and give us the will power to be our best selves every day. It’s true: we are the sum of the five people we hang out with the most. If you’re around Debbie downers, chances are, that will seep into your soul. Many times, we just can’t get away from these types of people, but just like they impact you, you impact them, so bring the energy!
Work on your physical state. Get yourself some exercise! A strong body makes a strong mind! Get out there and lift some weights, go for a run, climb a mountain, swim 100 meters. Anything you can do. Make it fun, make it interesting. Grab a buddy or a family member; spread the love! As tile installers, I know it’s tough to find the motivation to hit the gym after a long day, but it’s counter intuitive. Working out, making yourself MORE TIRED, gives you MORE energy. It will be incredible to go on a bid and know that your competition is going to be beaten down, tired and dejected, while you are ‘fit’ (whatever that means to you) and feeling chipper. That is a noted advantage!
Having confidence in who you are and what you do will save you so much time and heartbreak. Confidence will have you following your instincts, it will clear your mind and make you far more efficient with your time. A confident tile installer will not take a job that is not right for them, a confident tile installer will only agree to terms that are advantageous to themselves, a confident installer will not entertain clients who are condescending or rude. A confident tile installer will manifest the reality they imagine.
Being confident does not mean having no self-doubt. Self-doubt is a regulator inside your brain. Pay attention to it but push it to the back. Why? Because you have the END GOAL in mind. Live every day in the moment, but at the same time have a vision of what the future looks like for you. Believe things are going to work out and have the competency to make it happen. You aren’t acting or being something you’re not. You’re a TALENTED PERSON. You are one of a kind. You have gifts that many wish they could have. We believe in you and that’s why we work hard every day to get you the tools you need to overcome challenges.
We’ve presented you with a few actionable steps to build yourself up. The biggest thing you can do is gain self-knowledge. Know thyself. Once you know who you are, you can attack your weaknesses with a relentless force. We want you to go after short comings. Once those are conquered your mind will be so powerful, people will be begging you to take their money. More money, more freedom. Freedom to do good for yourself, your family and the world. Think of the possibilities when you get your head on straight, when you know yourself and your purpose! It’s possible with an unwavering self-belief. Get out there and believe!