Arthur Ashe, an American professional tennis player once said, "One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation."

Confidence, like Ashe points out, is a belief in your abilities mixed with the courage to plan and take action. Confidence may come easier to some than others, but it’s an essential skill that can be built over time! Watch the video and read more below about how confidence—a key durable skill—helps you bring energy, initiative, and leadership to any role in life!

What is confidence?

Confidence helps you speak up, try new things, and quiet self-doubt to achieve your goals. It’s not about being perfect, but trusting yourself even when you don’t have all the answers. Even if confidence doesn’t necessarily come naturally to you, it’s a skill you can build over time. It’s just like a muscle! The more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes.

Why confidence matters

Confidence affects how you see yourself, how you show up in the world, and how others see you. Employers value confident people because they bring energy, initiative, and leadership to any role. They can adapt to challenges and remain curious and open when things get hard. They’re willing to step outside of their comfort zones, even when they’re unsure, and say: “I can figure this out.”

Confidence matters as AI and tech will continue to transform how we work. Being able to confidently embrace new changes that show up in the workplace, whether you work at a coffee shop or for an investment firm, will set you up for success. 

Actionable ways to grow your confidence

Here are a few specific ways you can grow your confidence:

Start small

Confidence isn’t built overnight, but there are small steps you can take to begin! Try working up the courage to do something that feels slightly outside of your comfort zone, like raising your hand in class to answer a question or politely correcting a barista if they got your order wrong. It can be intimidating to do these things, but they will slowly build your courage over time. Every time you take yourself a bit further outside of your comfort zone, your mind will begin to understand that it can do hard things!

Celebrate effort

You deserve to give yourself credit! If your sports team loses a game or you don’t get the score you were hoping for on an exam, try to find the positive. You can ask yourself questions like “Did I learn anything from this experience?” or “Did I try my hardest?” While it may feel silly to celebrate even when you’ve fallen short, it’s important to remember that confidence is built by showing up—not always just winning. 

Why confidence is a lifelong skill

Confident people step forward, speak up, and lead change—not because they know everything, but because they trust in themselves and their ability to learn along the way. Each time you try something new and reflect on how it impacted you, you grow!

Want to learn more about durable skills? Dive into the essential and timeless skills that help young people thrive in work, school, and life to achieve long-term success!