What if you had unshakeable self-confidence? How can a few simple exercises transform your mindset and lead to lasting success?
In his book Million Dollar Habits, Stellan Moreira reveals seven powerful strategies that can help anyone overcome self-doubt and achieve their goals. He focuses on transforming limiting beliefs, embracing challenges, and developing resilience.
Read on to find confidence-building exercises based on Moreira’s strategies.
Confidence-Building Exercises
Moreira underscores the necessity of possessing an unshakeable conviction: Believe that you can achieve genuine success. Trust in your capacity to overcome any obstacles that come your way. If you doubt your core beliefs, you might hesitate, and that can cause you to delay taking action and even give up on your personal ambitions. Let’s dive into confidence-building exercises based on Moreira’s advice.
#1: Stop Doubting Yourself
Moreira insists on overcoming limiting beliefs and destructive self-doubt. By acknowledging and questioning the validity of these self-imposed limitations, you can start to dismantle them. He offers a direct method to tackle and resolve these harmful beliefs. Recognize a specific attitude that hinders your progress, for instance, the notion “Success still eludes me.” Then, critically assess your conviction by seeking evidence that refutes it, asking yourself if your past contains any achievements indicating your potential for success.
| Exercises • Start a “Limitation Log” where you jot down moments you say “I can’t” or “It’s not possible” during the day. At the end of the week, review your entries and for each one, write down a counter-argument challenging that limitation. For example, if you wrote “I can’t speak in public,” counter it with “I haven’t practiced public speaking enough to feel confident yet.” • Use art as a medium to express and transform beliefs. Pick a belief that you’ve identified as harmful and create a piece of art that represents this belief. It could be a drawing, painting, or even a collage. Then, create a second piece that represents the belief you want to adopt instead. This visual representation can make abstract beliefs more tangible and the process of transformation more vivid. • Use a “Role-Reversal” exercise to gain perspective on attitudes. Once a week, choose a situation where you felt your progress was hindered, and write a short narrative describing the same situation from the perspective of someone you consider successful or effective. This can help you identify attitudes they might have that differ from yours, such as resilience in the face of setbacks, which you can then try to adopt. • Use social media to your advantage by following thinkers or groups that hold different views from your own. Engage with their content not to argue but to understand the reasoning behind their perspectives. This can broaden your understanding and provide direct evidence that challenges your convictions. • Partner with a friend or family member for a “Debate Swap.” Once a month, choose a topic you both have strong opinions about, but argue from the opposite side. This exercise forces you to explore and articulate the counterarguments to your beliefs, which can broaden your perspective and deepen your understanding of the topic. • Use social media to share stories of overcoming challenges, aiming to inspire others. Once a week, post a brief narrative about a personal victory that emerged from a situation of doubt. Frame it in a way that emphasizes the journey rather than just the outcome, to encourage your network to see the value in persisting through uncertainty. • Develop a “Compassion Swap” technique where, in moments of self-judgment, you imagine what you would say to a friend in the same situation. Write down the compassionate advice you would offer them, and then read it back to yourself as a reminder to treat yourself with the same kindness. • Start a “possibility journal” to document new opportunities and future aspirations. Before bed each night, jot down one new possibility for your future, no matter how big or small. This practice shifts your focus from past regrets to future opportunities, fostering a mindset geared towards growth and potential. |
#2: See Obstacles as Opportunities
Achievement’s journey is often accompanied by fear and self-doubt. Moreira advocates for perceiving obstacles as chances to push your boundaries and broaden your zone of comfort. He advises cultivating a mindset that embraces taking initiative, especially when faced with unpredictable situations.
| Exercises • Engage in micro-challenges that are slightly outside your comfort zone, gradually increasing in difficulty. This could be as simple as initiating small talk with a stranger or volunteering for a task at work that you’d normally avoid. The key is to start small and build up your confidence through a series of successful experiences. • Develop a habit of conducting weekly personal “initiative audits” where you review your actions from the past week and identify moments where you could have taken more initiative. Set specific goals for the upcoming week to increase your initiative in those areas. For instance, if you notice you’ve been passive in meetings, challenge yourself to contribute at least two new ideas in the next meeting. • Implement a “Five-Minute Fear Face-off” where each day, you spend five minutes doing something that scares you slightly, related to an area of self-doubt. If you’re apprehensive about networking, spend five minutes reaching out to a new contact. This short, consistent exposure to fear in a controlled way can gradually reduce the power that self-doubt holds over you. • Challenge yourself to learn a new, simple skill each month to push your boundaries. Start with something small such as juggling, a basic magic trick, or origami. This practice will help you experience and overcome the discomfort of being a beginner, reinforcing your belief in your ability to learn and succeed. |
#3: Trust That You Can Grow
Moreira underscores the significance of cultivating an attitude focused on continuous personal growth. This involves viewing challenges not as threats, but as opportunities for learning and growth. Every challenge you surmount equips you with fresh insights and fortifies your determination. Citing Bob Richards, Moreira emphasizes that numerous victors are forged into champions through adversities.
| Exercises • Create a “Skill Swap” with friends or colleagues to teach each other something new every month. This could be as simple as cooking a dish from a different culture, sharing tips on time management, or teaching each other a new language. This not only broadens your skill set but also builds a community of learners around you. • Volunteer for a project or task at work that is known to be challenging or has been avoided by others. Tackling it head-on will not only provide you with a new perspective on your capabilities but also demonstrate your willingness to face difficulties, which can be a valuable trait in the workplace. • Start a “Curiosity Journal” where you jot down one new question each day about something you don’t understand but want to learn more about. This practice encourages you to recognize gaps in your knowledge and seek out information, which can be as simple as a Google search or as in-depth as taking a new online course. • Create a personal “Innovation Journal” where you document daily observations, ideas, and questions that challenge the status quo. This practice not only sharpens your critical thinking but also serves as a repository of ideas that can be revisited and developed into innovative solutions. For instance, if you notice inefficiencies in your daily commute, jot them down and brainstorm potential improvements, no matter how outlandish they may seem. • Create a personal obstacle course by identifying a challenge each week and designing a step-by-step plan to overcome it. Start with small challenges, such as waking up 30 minutes earlier than usual, and gradually increase the difficulty. This method helps you develop resilience and problem-solving skills in a controlled, measurable way. • Try the ‘role-play resilience’ game with a friend where you act out a difficult scenario and then switch roles to explore different responses and outcomes. If you’re nervous about an upcoming presentation, one of you can play the presenter and the other the audience. Afterward, discuss what strategies felt most empowering and why. This can help you prepare for real-life challenges by practicing resilience in a safe, controlled environment. |
#4: Chase Your Goals
Moreira emphasizes the importance of relentlessly chasing your goals. He advises regularly recording your aspirations and objectives, vocalizing them, and visualizing your own triumphs in these pursuits. Consistently refreshing your awareness of your goals keeps them at the forefront of your attention, spurring you into action and making the realization of success more tangible.
| Exercises • Implement a “goal-first” budgeting method where you allocate resources specifically for activities that contribute to your goals. This could mean setting aside funds for courses, books, or tools that enable you to chase your goals more effectively, ensuring that your financial planning aligns with your personal aspirations. • Use a habit-tracking app to set reminders for mini-reviews of your goals throughout the day. By scheduling these reminders, you’re prompted to reflect on your objectives frequently, reinforcing your commitment and allowing you to adjust your actions accordingly. • Turn your wallpaper into a vision board by changing your phone and computer backgrounds to images that represent your goals. This keeps your objectives visually present throughout your day, subtly reminding you every time you glance at your devices. For example, if you’re aiming to run a marathon, use a picture of a runner crossing a finish line as your wallpaper. • Create a “negativity jar” where you write down negative thoughts on pieces of paper and “pay” a predetermined amount into the jar each time you dwell on them. Use the collected funds for a positive experience, such as a class or donation to a cause you care about, reinforcing the idea of transforming negative energy into positive actions. • Start a “Desire Accountability Group” with friends or family where you meet weekly to discuss and support each other’s desires. This creates a community of encouragement, making it easier to stay committed to pursuing your desires. During these meetings, each person can share a desire they’re working on and the group can brainstorm ways to help each other achieve these desires. • Create a “positivity portfolio” by compiling images, quotes, and notes of past successes and positive feedback in a dedicated folder on your phone or computer. Whenever you’re facing a new challenge, browse through this collection to remind yourself of your capabilities and boost your confidence. • Develop a habit of asking for constructive feedback from peers or mentors after completing tasks or projects. This can provide you with insights on how to improve and fuel your drive to succeed. If you’re working on public speaking, for instance, ask a trusted colleague to critique your performance and offer tips for improvement. |
#5: Display Integrity and Vulnerability
Moreira emphasizes that integrity is a fundamental component essential for attaining fulfillment and prosperity. He suggests that achieving authenticity in life by aligning your emotions, beliefs, and actions leads to inner peace and self-acceptance, thereby attracting positive events into your life. Moreira also encourages embracing your authentic self, even if it means defying societal expectations or challenging the status quo. He emphasizes the significance of chasing your aspirations and desires without the need for validation from others.
| Exercises • Start a “Defy the Norm” journal where you document daily actions that go against societal expectations. This could be as simple as wearing an unconventional outfit, speaking up about a non-popular opinion in a meeting, or choosing a hobby that’s unusual for your age or gender. The act of writing it down reinforces your commitment to authenticity and helps you track your progress over time. • Implement a “Solo Adventure” practice where, once a week, you do something alone that you would typically do with others, such as going to a movie or eating at a restaurant. This encourages self-reliance and confidence in your preferences. As you enjoy these experiences on your own, you’ll learn to appreciate your own company and the freedom of not needing someone else’s validation to enjoy life’s moments. |
#6: Stay in It for the Long Haul
Moreira underscores the necessity of cultivating a steadfast mindset to surmount the inevitable obstacles encountered while pursuing one’s objectives. He believes that, by embracing a long-term mindset and viewing failures as valuable learning experiences, you can overcome any obstacle and achieve lasting success.
| Exercises • You can visualize your future self to make long-term planning more tangible by creating a detailed vision board that represents where you want to be in five, 10, or 20 years. This could include images of places you want to live, representations of relationships you aspire to have, and symbols of personal and professional achievements. Regularly updating and reflecting on this board can keep your long-term goals at the forefront of your daily decisions. • Start a “Progress Diary” where you dedicate one page to reflecting on an achievement and the next page to planning steps towards your primary goal. This method ensures that for every look back at what you’ve accomplished, you’re compelled to also look forward and strategize your next move. If you’ve just received a promotion, the achievement page could detail what you did well, while the next page could outline your plans for new responsibilities or further career development. • Implement a “Future-Self Friday” ritual where you dedicate time each week to engage in an activity that connects you with your future goals. This could be researching, planning, or taking a small step towards a long-term objective. If your goal is to run a marathon, you might spend this time planning your training schedule for the next week or learning about nutrition for long-distance runners. • Turn a daily inconvenience into a problem-solving exercise by identifying a minor annoyance you face regularly and brainstorming creative ways to address it. For example, if you’re always misplacing your keys, you might devise a system using color-coded key holders or establish a dedicated ‘key spot’ that’s visually distinct and habit-forming. |
#7: Be Flexible and Resilient
Moreira posits that resilience is significantly bolstered by one’s ability to adapt to new circumstances. He advocates for flexibility and a willingness to embrace fresh concepts, acknowledging that unwavering adherence to a predetermined plan can occasionally hinder the ability to capitalize on unforeseen opportunities.
| Exercises • Try adopting a new hobby that is outside your comfort zone every month. This could be anything from learning a new language to taking up a sport you’ve never tried. The key is to choose activities that require you to start from scratch, as this will simulate the experience of adapting to a new situation and help build resilience. For instance, if you’ve never painted, sign up for a beginner’s art class and observe how you handle the learning curve. • You can embrace flexibility by setting monthly ‘adaptability goals’ where you identify one aspect of your life or work each month that could benefit from a more flexible approach. For example, if you’re a freelancer, you might decide to be more open to different types of projects rather than sticking strictly to your niche. This could lead to unexpected collaborations and learning opportunities. • Implement a “What If” ritual during your planning process. Whenever you’re about to start a new project or make a significant decision, take a moment to consider and write down potential failure scenarios and how you would respond to them. This proactive approach not only prepares you for possible outcomes but also helps build resilience by reducing the fear of the unknown. • Implement a “Failure Debrief” session with friends or family. After experiencing a setback, gather a small group of trusted individuals to discuss what happened. The goal is not to seek sympathy but to brainstorm constructive feedback and alternative approaches. For instance, if you failed to reach a personal fitness goal, the group might suggest adjusting your workout routine or exploring new dietary changes. • Create a “Growth Mindset Playlist” with songs that inspire resilience and adaptability. Music can influence mood and behavior, so listening to a curated playlist during challenging times can reinforce the idea that you can overcome difficulties and grow from them. • Create a “resilience map” by drawing a visual representation of a recent challenge and the steps you took to overcome it. This could be a flowchart, a comic strip, or a simple storyboard. The act of visualizing your resilience journey can help you see the progress you’ve made and can serve as a motivational tool for future obstacles. |
