WRITTEN BY MOSES NALOCCA
Confidence and performance are two
skills that every entrepreneur or leader
must thrive on and pursue. Anyone can
learn, improve and master these skills,
and the key word here is mastering
There is a well-known Latin phrase, ‘Repetitio
est mater studiorum’, which means repetition is
the mother of learning. Continually repeating the
process of learning, developing, improving, and
mastering is a critical factor in your success as an
entrepreneur and a leader
So how can you
learn the skills of
confidence and
performance?
The one common word that is crucial to both
confidence and performance is certainty. If you break
down the word confidence in Latin, it is ‘con fiducia’,
which means ‘with trust.’ You need to have absolute
trust in yourself and absolute trust in something, which
could be your business, project or venture. Certainty,
absolute trust and absolute belief will help you develop
your skills in confidence and performance.
One way you can build your confidence is by always
keeping your word, not only to other people but to
yourself as well. So, when you say you are going to do
something, or you are going to work on something,
keep your word and follow through with it.
If you say to yourself, “Tomorrow I am going to the
gym,” then you must do it. The consequence of not
going to the gym is much more serious than simply a
missed workout. The real consequence is self-doubt,
as even your own brain doesn’t trust you anymore
because you didn’t keep your word
Obviously, this will have an immense effect on the way
you perform. Whenever you have to take a big step or
a big action, your brain will tell you, “Hey, you didn’t
even keep your word when you said you were going to
the gym. How can I now support you in this harder and
more complex task?”
Another way of building confidence is to work and grow
your mindset. Invest more time working on yourself,
your projects, and your business, as this will build
muscle confidence. The more you choose to believe in
yourself and spend time on yourself, the easier it will
become and the more confident you will feel. It is like
going to the gym; you can’t build your biceps without
lifting weights repeatedly
Your self-dialogue is also crucial when it comes to
building. Think about those conversations you have
with yourself – what do you tell yourself when you are
alone?
n my experience working with top sportsmen, Olympic
athletes and top business owners with large teams and
corporations, most of the time, the conversations you
have with yourself may be the best and most important
thing you will hear that day. So, guard your mouth and
watch what you are saying to yourself. Make sure the
things you are saying are positive and productive, as
this will boost and build massive confidence.
Don’t be afraid to have bold self-conversations about
yourself. Tell yourself all the things you need to hear.
When it comes to performance, it is all about execution.
Performance is directly proportional to success. Success
is nothing more than constant, continuous, repeated small
steps done with discipline. The key word to perform with
confidence is to be disciplined. The small steps are the
ones which will lead you to great success.
As a peak performance coach, I realized when I was
working with Olympic athlete Ivet Goranova on the road
to her getting the gold medal in Tokyo, your performance
is directly proportional to how you see yourself. So, what is
the image you have of yourself ? The way you see yourself
will determine how you perform.
If you see yourself as weak or as a loser, that is how you will
perform. If you see yourself with total certainty about who
you are and what you can achieve, that is the way you will
perform. There is a direct correlation between belief and
performance.
One thing which is essential to remember is that there will be
moments when your confidence and performance are affected
and when you listen to the naysayers. Ignore those who doubt
you because they will always have something to say about you.
Make sure you look at what you have already achieved; this will
always motivate you and push you to perform in a better way.
Focusing on past achievements is extremely effective because
you have done it already, so your brain has references for what
has been done and what you have experienced. Take some time to
practice gratitude. Be grateful for what you have, what you have
achieved and what is coming ahead.
Finally, do not attempt to make this journey alone. Many leaders
and entrepreneurs think they can do this alone and that asking
others for help is a weakness. But when it comes to confidence
and performance, ask for help, not because you are weak but
because you are strong and want to go further faster.
All the top people in the world have people helping them; they
have a mentor or a coach and a team behind them. When I work
with my clients as a peak performance coach, I never tell them
what to do. I give them a different point of view so they can
see things from multiple perspectives and work out the right
direction for them. So don’t be afraid to open yourself up to other
people’s viewpoints and expertise