By: Brian Gilleece
I've heard quite a few people in this town (none of you of course) say things like
"If I got on a big show I could work harder, get fit for it what ever I needed to do"
or "if someone gave me the chance I could do it..." Or things like this.
There is a fundamental flaw with thinking you COULD do something if given the chance, you COULD rise to the occasion if the occasion came along.
A.) No you couldn't and B.) these people dont have the confidence to right now, in the dark, when nobody is watching, do the things they would need to do under a spotlight.
Confidence, REAL confidence is the power to believe in your self, your talents, gifts and strengths and apply them every day until you get what you want, not WHEN you get what you think you deserve.
So, Lets talk about some ways to foster this gift of confidence in our lives everyday!
DRESS FOR SUCCESS.
The old saying, “dress for success,” isn’t so far-fetched after all. One study looked at a group of men—one-third who were dressed in suits, another third in sweatpants and the remaining in casual attire—and then asked them to role play a negotiation scene.
In the end, the men dressed in suits showed higher levels of dominance, job performance and confidence, resulting in better negotiation deals.
If given the choice, step up dont dumb down, take your appearance seriously in self tapes, in persons, meetings and events. We are visual beings and this is a visual medium.
PRACTICE POSITIVE SELF-TALK.
Positive self-talk is a surefire way to boost your confidence levels quickly. However, the way in which you positively self-talk matters too. A recent study reveals that people who talk to themselves positively in the second person (using “you”) reported higher levels of motivation and confidence than people who spoke to themselves in the first person (“I”).
Researchers concluded this is because addressing yourself in the second person, makes it feel like you are receiving external appreciation and confirmation. This can go a long ways in boosting your confidence.
Outside that big room you have been wanting to get into? Step outside, let yourself know YOU can do it, YOU have it inside and YOU are here to kick ass and take names.
EXERCISE OUTSIDE.
Take your workout outside. According to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research, exercising outside has a direct positive impact on a person’s self-esteem.
We live in So-Cal, its not that cold! take your show on the road to muscle beach maybe Kevin Caliber Thomsen will show you how, or the mountains or to the ocean! Showing your fitness to others and pushing your self in public is a key to growth.
SOCIALIZE
In order to be successful, it’s important to surround yourself with the right people and build yourself a large network of supportive friends. According to earlier research, the more social groups a person is involved in, the higher a person’s self-esteem.
Why do you think Jess Canty created this facebook group? As a client you have a built in network of people who want to see you succeed. Maybe your new to states like Kevin Clayette and need a place to self tape or maybe you need someone great to run lines with like Emma Malouff , reach out to each other. Weather it is here or class or WHATEVER, find supportive people who fuel your ambitions and don't drain your energy.
DAYDREAM
Letting your mind wander can actually make you smarter and boost your self-esteem.
An experiment conducted by the Georgia Institute of Technology analyzed the brain patterns of 100 participants through an MRI machine, then asked the participants to complete a test that measured their intellectual and creative abilities. The people who the scientists noticed daydreamed the most had significantly higher test scores than the non-daydreaming participants.
You know what's great about day dreams? They are stories you are creating! Write them down! Knowbody sits down and writes a great screen play with the click of a button, it comes from bursts of inspiration stitched together with the finesse of craft. Use your brain, feel free to create and put these inspiration bursts down on paper, who knows what you may have!
LISTEN TO MUSIC
Music can have a major influence on a person’s mood. When it comes to a confidence booster, listening to music that has a heavy baseline is the perfect thing.
In a study conducted by Northwestern University, 78 students were asked to listen to a two-minute instrumental piece twice. The first time they listened, the piece had a quiet bass line, and the second time, researchers turned up the bass. After listening to a song with heavy bass, participants said they felt more powerful, dominant and determined.
Find your tackling' fuel! What is your song, your pregame song? What gets your blood pumping and feeling like the koolaide man tearing shit up and ripping down walls? I got mine. Lil Boosie Ft Webbie - Wipe Me Down. You don't know, now ya know.... Find your song! Que it up before the moment and give your self the chance to get pumped up for your day!
WRAP
Yes, having confidence is something that can be learned, it comes from habitually doing the right things and seeing small wins that create big wins. People can smell it on you, and at the end of the day, when casting is choosing between you and 32 other actors to help support a 750,000$ scene, confidence is really all they give a dam about.
Go have a confident, amazing week. Do more. Be more.
