Manage your fears
The greatest thief of confidence is fear. Fear is usually masked by a lot of things. It could be fear of losing face, fear of other people, fear of loss, or just the fear of fear. Fear is an enemy of faith and an obstacle on the path of greatness. Liberation starts when we start questioning our fears and their source. Some of the fears date back to childhood when we had an embarrassing moment at school. We all gain strength, inspiration, courage and confidence every time that we dare to stop and look at fear in the face. Fear thrives when it is treated as a holy mystery, the moment it is faced it flees. When we do the things that we fear we grow, mature and become more confident. 

Words are powerful
The words that we speak are powerful programmes that direct how we act and think. The blight of self-confidence is self-depreciating talk. Most people under-estimate their own abilities and over-estimate the capabilities of others. The words we speak strengthen or weaken us. People who speak negative, self-depreciating words are also timid, passive and appear unmotivated. People who speak positively tend to be more positive. People who speak like losers tend to eventually become losers. People who speak like losers never remain losers for long. Words are not cheap – they are the raw material of all creation. This is why the bible says that in the beginning was the “word”. In fact in the beginning of anything there are words. Words are seeds for failure or greatness.
Pursue great goals 
A lot of energy and effort is wasted on petty projects, meaningless debates and fights for bones that no longer have juice. Confidence is generated when we are pursuing goals that matter. It is easy to wallow in self-pity and personal sensitivities so long as what we are doing serves us and preserves our tender skins. When we are driven by big, meaningful and inspiring goals we have little time to invest in childish attitudes. 

Most people let other people edit their goals and alter their script to fit into their world and their convenience. This is the high way to losing confidence. Confidence is always shaken when we are trying to be what we are not and trying to please people who do not care at all about our aspirations and dreams. 

Read biographies
There is nothing that inspires people to achieve that the story of another human being. Most people were born with no promise. Some grew up and were written off by their contemporaries. Yet, all greatness in infused with some lessons that inspire confidence. Reading biographies powerful inspires confidence. It demystifies their roots and makes greatness look attainable – and indeed it is. Confident people always inspire others to be more confident, confidence is contagious. Reading the lives of people who mastered confidence, asserted themselves, took massive action and made their dreams happen always gives a great confidence boost to anybody with a passion for greatness. 

Laugh at yourself 
This world is a laughing world. Many people get too busy insulting themselves, padding their lives, sprucing their images, and masking their failures because they take themselves too seriously. We lose confidence when we know that there is something to hide. We lose confidence when we always fear that the truth will emerge. The highway to confidence is simple – living a single life and learning to laugh at oneself. 
Greatness always comes easily to those who are willing to acknowledge their human frailty and yet keep trying and taking action.

To your greatness!
Milton Kamwendo