You must have noticed three magical words we always put at the top of this page: Yes, You Can. These are simple—perhaps most ordinary—words. A layperson will not need to look at a dictionary for their meaning. But, within them, these words hold immense power. They are truly magical. Whenever you find yourself inadequate to perform a difficult task, just whisper these three words, and you will find a new vigour and energy to accomplish the task that once seemed difficult. This is the magic of self-belief. These three simple yet powerful words do nothing but invoke a strong sense of self-belief within the innermost parts of your heart.
Self-belief is a superpower. Once you start believing in yourself, the magic starts happening. It would be best to begin with determined self-belief when you seek to accomplish something. Believe in yourself because you are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and more capable than you imagine. There is a very insightful quote from Anna Freud, the British psychoanalyst. She said, “I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time.” Yes, it is always there within us, and it is a different thing that we often tend to ignore it. Most of the time, we do not notice, recognise, and explore it. American lawyer and politician Mr. Brad Henry puts it eloquently when he says, “Believe in yourself, and the rest will fall in place. Have faith in your ability, work hard, and there is nothing you cannot accomplish.”
Who could not have realised the power of self-belief more than Virat Kohli, one of India’s most accomplished international cricketers? The former Indian cricket captain’s career has had many ups and downs. Once “a chubby-cheeked bubbly young kid” from Delhi—in the words of his fellow cricketer Ashish Nehra—has not only developed himself into a fitness icon but also mastered the art of batting in such a way that he emerged as a highly successful run-getter, shattering many records and creating new ones across all formats. His words come with a direct and magical simplicity when he says, “Self-belief and hard work will always earn you success.” Yes, always!
Interestingly, researchers find it challenging to agree on what exactly self-belief is. Some say it is simply believing in yourself, while others say it is about your expectations from yourself besides evaluation of yourself and your performance. The Psychology Dictionary Online aptly defines self-belief: “Our self-assurance in trusting our abilities, capacities, and judgments; the belief that we can meet the demands of a task”. Healthy self-belief is not narcissism, bragging, or boasting. Instead, it is a realistic but optimistic evaluation of yourself and your abilities, and a sense of trust and confidence in yourself.
No one is born with self-belief. Still, no one is born without self-belief too. It may seem a paradox. However, everyone is born with an innate quality of developing self-belief. By all means, self-belief is something that has to be developed and rebuilt if lost. And to develop it, one must lead a happy, healthy and prosperous life. A person with self-belief knows their worth and value. It is only self-belief that dares you to dream big. Self-belief makes you pursue a job—any job—wholeheartedly. Self-belief motivates you to explore your potential. Self-belief paves the way for the fulfilment of your goals and aspirations.
Here are seven tips to help you develop self-belief : First, know who you want to be. Give yourself some space to dream a little and think about everything you want to achieve. Second, affirm yourself. Self-affirmations are vital tools that reinforce your belief in yourself. Third, face your fears. You do not have to face them all at once or go for the scariest first. Do it little by little. Fourth, address your inner critic. Until you do this, you may keep undermining your abilities and settling for less than you deserve. Fifth, strive and be prepared to win. Preparing to win fills you with confidence that encourages you to put in extra effort to achieve your goals. Sixth, take care of yourself. Self-belief grows when you take not only mental and emotional care of yourself but also physical care. Last but not least, cut off everything negative, may they be thoughts, acquaintances, surroundings, or circumstances. Only positivity provides fertile soil for self-belief to breed.
With these words, I wish you to have a strong belief in yourself, leading you to unimaginable heights.