The following anecdote is a complete work of fiction. It ain’t real!
I remember one of my New York trips this past spring. The program weekend was relaxing and chill. And I was feeling good.
“Hey!” I heard. I didn’t know where that was coming from. I took out my earbuds and looked around. “Over here, man.”
I turned around. And saw something. I’m not sure what it was, but I saw something.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
“The better question is this; can I help you my brother? This stuff I got is really good, man. So good, I’m givin’ it out for free. You’re gonna be able to leap tall buildings, man. Go through fire and not get burned. Just a nibble. Whaddya say, man? Whaddya say?”
“I’m good,” I said.
“C’mon man, just a taste. This one’s on the house.”
I took his offer. And man oh man he was so right. I was on top of the world. Put Jennifer Lawrence, Scarlett Johannsen, and Anna Kendrick in front of me at the same time and I wouldn’t be intimidated. I could talk to anyone. And I felt good about myself.
But the feeling ran out. I was back in a funk.
The next time I went to New York, I walked that same street at the same time. And I found…what I found.
“I need some more of that stuff, man.”
“I got you, my brother. But it’s gonna cost ya.”
{insert record scratch sound effect here}
DISCLAIMER: I am not on drugs. This is a work of fiction. I mean, it’s probably obvious. “Relaxing program weekend?” Oh please!
There are many performance enhancing drugs on the market. But the most important one is free and you can create it with your own will and power. Want to know what it is?
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It’s time to make a bold statement. There are many performance enhancing drugs on the market. But the most important one is free and you can create it with your own will and power. Want to know what it is?
Confidence!
Seriously, it’s that easy. If you summon the confidence, you can do anything.
One of my favorite baseball players of all time is Greg Maddux. Here’s a guy who was probably around 180 pounds during his playing days (though he was listed at 195.) He never threw very hard. He got guys out with guile and precision. And he has a plaque in Cooperstown for the world to see.
(Side note: I will visit the Baseball Hall of Fame one day. One day…)
I’ll never forget Maddux staring down Albert Belle in the 1995 World Series. Belle hit fifty home runs that year (in a strike-shortened season) and was built like a middle linebacker.
I think there were runners on first and third with two outs. The Braves had a one run lead. An extra base hit, and Cleveland takes the lead.
Maddux had the confidence to throw a two strike breaking ball that caught the outside corner. Belle never took the bat off his shoulder. Atlanta got out of the inning.
At one point, Steely Dan founder Donald Fagen had terrible stage fright. Until the 90s, they never toured. But he regained his confidence and stage presence and the Dan have toured regularly since then.
Confidence can open your world up in so many ways. It can truly support you in embracing your authenticity from a real, empowered place. And confidence can make you feel like you can do anything.
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I could go on and on. Confidence can open your world up in so many ways. It can truly support you in embracing your authenticity from a real, empowered place. And confidence can make you feel like you can do anything.
Y’know…cuz you can.
I’ve devised a plan to grow my own self-confidence. I’d like to share it with you because it works for me. Perhaps it can work for you.
- Love yourself: are you your own biggest fan? Do you respect and own who you are?
- Take care of yourself: if your wellbeing isn’t in check, that takes away your confidence. Take care of yourself – mind, body, and soul.
- Take chances: I’m not talking about jumping out of airplanes (though that could ramp up your confidence to a new level.) Do something outside your comfort zone every day. Little things add up.
- Trust the process: remember that growing confident is a choice. But it is a choice you have to make every day. Keep choosing it day by day and the confidence will come.
As always, I’d love to connect. Let’s dig out that inner, confident badass that is lurking under the surface.
- Twitter: com/ryanhallwrites
- Website: team-ryan.team
- Email: [email protected]
I’ve got to level with you. I have a complicated relationship with confidence. My self-confidence comes and goes. I am human after all. But when my confidence is high, there’s nothing I can’t do.
Trust me, if you look closely at yourself, there’s nothing you can’t do either. Just tap into your inner, confident badass.
Remember y’all; confidence isn’t illegal. It isn’t on any banned substances list. You won’t get a fifty game suspension.
It just might unlock your greatness, though. Give it a shot.
Photo by Joris Louwes