Written by Joan Herrmann

The level of success you see in your life is a direct result of your belief system. When you believe in yourself, you have faith in your abilities and capabilities. This gives you the confidence to overcome fears and self-doubt so you can take action and keep moving forward. As your self-confidence increases, you will perform better at work, experience more fulfilling relationships, and explore new opportunities.

Your brain is wired for negativity so it’s easier to put attention on what you can’t do rather than on what you can accomplish. While that negativity bias has helped you register threats to avoid danger, it isn’t beneficial when you want to achieve a goal. Telling yourself you’re bad at something can very quickly escalate into, “I’m not good at anything.”

It’s not always easy to believe in yourself, especially when you have spent a great deal of time focusing on your shortcomings, but it is possible! Here are a three ways to help you adjust your focus:

Accentuate your strengths and not your weaknesses. Find something that you are good at and go for it, even if it scares you. Empower yourself with education and hone your skill. When you shift your attention to developing a strength, you’ll feel more competent. That feeling of competence will lead to being more confident.

Celebrate victories. Look for victories and celebrate them, no matter how small. Write them down at the end of each day and review the list at the end of the week. Since the brain’s natural tendency is to remember bad events, a list of your accomplishments will remind you of your capabilities and value.

Eliminate negative talk (from yourself and others). When you become mindful of your internal dialogue you can change the language. Speak to yourself the way you would talk to a cherished friend. Be encouraging and supportive. It is also important to stop paying attention to what others say. Psychologists have found that we often focus on negative comments while ignoring the positive ones. Most negative comments reveal more about the person speaking than they do about you. Limit the time you spend with critical people.

It’s natural for you to have times when you just don’t think you can do it, and that’s okay. The important thing is to not let self doubt stop you. Dig deep, adjust the focus, and just do it. When you stay in motion taking it one step at a time, the little accomplishments will lead to big ones and you’ll be unstoppable!