One of the first things I learned as an FBI agent was that the public had expectations when I walked through the door. They expected a confident, polished, and competent agent to listen to their concerns.
Their first impression was the critical metric by which they judged me.learned early in my career it’s not what you do, it’s how you look doing it.Perception becomes reality. Often, the difference between average people and successful ones is how they project the right image.
If you’re a loser or a wimp, you don’t have to worry about how others perceive you because news like that travels fast, no matter the crowd. If, however, you want to pull away from the pack and get noticed for all the right reasons, you need to look confident even if you don’t feel that way. Especially if you don’t feel that way.
Four months at the FBI Academy as a new agent taught me to be confident, no matter the situation or time of day. There were many ways the instructors boosted my confidence, and all of them required hard work, self-awareness, and mental toughness.
Unfortunately, confidence can be transitory. We have it one minute and the next—poof, it’s gone! We still need to meet with our boss, defend a decision, or persuade a new client we can deliver on our promises.“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy”—Dale Carnegie
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