Tag: Confidence

Action, Risk, and Confidence

“Never be afraid to act. You never know how far away you are from your goal — sometimes just reaching out and putting in a little bit of effort can be enough. And, even if it’s not — you tried, and that’s far better than just sitting and waiting for a chance to present itself. If you want to achieve something you have to act, you have to take risks and you have to believe in yourself.” Author Unknown

Act: We cannot simply be hearers, but doers.

Take risks: Taking risk promotes greater impact.

Believe in yourself: A lower self-esteem hinders action and risks.

God’s power must not be limited by our lack of action, risk, or confidence.

Qualified Leaders…

When someone is qualified, they are recognized as someone trained to perform a specific job or task. A level of competency is associated with this recognition.

The Bible speaks about qualities all Christians should strive to achieve. We may not achieve all of them, but we can still lead others.

Leadership is about influence. We strive to influence others for the cause of Christ. As a Christian, our qualification to lead others is built on the blood of Jesus.

The stronger our faith becomes, the more our confidence grows, and the greater our influence. This type of leadership is needed in the kingdom.

Overcoming Challenges…

Internal and external challenges face every leader, which can cause them to question their ability, opportunity, position, and purpose in leadership.

Confidence in one’s ability diminishes when leaders experience failure, suffer discouragement, or when they are harshly criticized by others.

Remember that failure only exists when we give up.

Learn how to overcome discouragement with self-evaluation.

Instead of “reacting” to criticism, “act” with an appropriate response.

While these are limited ideas, overcoming the challenges is possible. Seek to walk the right path.

Leading by Faith…

Paul told the church in Corinth, “We walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Co. 5:7). He emphasized the need to live a life guided by God’s word. His word provides direction, motivation, and a secure foundation upon which to stand.

When leadership is guided by God’s word, the results are significant.

There is confidence in knowing the direction is guided by God, Himself.

God’s word provides the greatest purpose for character formation.

Leaders know there is strength when grounded in the truth.

Let us always lead by the faith.

Relying on the Lord…

David wrote, “My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” This Psalm provides comfort, reassurance, and confidence.

The challenge is relying upon the promises and living by the hope provided.

We must learn to stop seeking, turning to, going for, or relying upon help based on our experience, education (formal and informal), or close friends.

These are good resources, but our first step should always be the Lord. Why? First, we have a personal relationship with our God. Second, He has authority over and controls all things in heaven and on earth.

He provides the help we need.

The End of a Matter…

Solomon said the end is better than the beginning.

From a leadership standpoint, we learn the value of credibility and confidence.

When leaders reach the end of a matter it is an indicator of success, and success breeds credibility for those who follow.

As well, reaching the end of a matter strengthens confidence in the leader. As victory is achieved, leaders grow with confidence to accomplish more.

Our leadership is no different. As leaders achieve success, they anticipate the next challenge or goal and work with tireless effort to build upon their confidence to strengthen their credibility.

Leaders and Prayer…

One of the great thoughts of scripture, and certainly needed in leadership, is the confidence of God answering prayers.

David writes, “On the day I called, you answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.”

How can we have the confidence today?

1) In keeping with God’s will (James 4:15; 1 John 5:14).
2) In faith (Matthew 21:22; James 1:5-8).
3) With persistence (Luke 18:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
4) Without anxiety and with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6)
5) By devotion (Colossians 4:2).

The list continues throughout the Bible and, of all people, leaders must demonstrate they are people of prayer.

A True Leader…

Douglas MacArthur once said, “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.”

His thought exemplifies four key words that powerfully contribute to leadership.

Confidence – We need confidence in God and our leadership.

Courage – Leaders must demonstrate courage when needed.

Compassion – This Christlike quality should characterize all leaders. 

Equality – Acting with consistency is a key to equality.

Integrity – Few areas are more important than walking with integrity.

The Power of Optimism…

Optimism includes hope and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something.

The negative nature of life’s experiences can hinder optimistic leadership, but here are a few suggestions to lead with optimism.

1) Remember, not everyone is against you.
2) Stop trying to live in or change the past, you cannot.
3) Be surrounded by optimistic people who cast a vision of hope.
4) Be realistic about personal expectations.
5) Accept who you are as a person.
6) Express gratitude for what you have physically and spiritually.
7) Reflect more often on the positive areas of life.

Try being optimistic and see how contagious it becomes.

Leading with Confidence…

Leaders need confidence. Napoleon Hill says, “The world has the habit of making room for the man whose words and actions show that he knows where he is going.”

Leaders must possess a strong consistency in character. This lesson is not new.

For leaders to build a relationship of trust, their character must be defined by consistency, which may be one of the truest qualities connected to integrity.

When leaders demonstrate consistency in their words and actions, they can lead with confidence. Ultimately, both should be guided by the teachings of God’s word.