Be Confident. Don’t Give Up! Wisdom Quotes Illustrated 4

By Philip Schmitz

How self-confident are you? Be honest with yourself.

There are dozens of self-confidence checklists on the Web, and many of them will provide good information. Most of us probably fall somewhere in the middle of the range between "I am the greatest” and “I can’t trust myself to do anything right.”

If you’re not satisfied with your score, and you’d like to feel more self-assured—or give others the courage to act—there’s good news. Laying a solid foundation and getting started with the basics doesn’t have to be complicated.

This book will help you remember a few key points and keep you focused and inspired. Start by recognizing what you’ve already achieved. You had strengths that enabled you to accomplish those things. Building on that, what’s important to you going forward? Where are you headed?

Many times we can’t control the outside world, at least not completely. But we can always do better at managing our interior world. That’s not as abstract as it may sound. Listen carefully and start noticing what you are telling yourself about your abilities. Are you undermining yourself? Psychologists call that “negative self-talk.” Make a commitment to brighten a downbeat attitude and replace it with a positive outlook.

By the way, Be Confident. Don’t Give Up! is a great companion to its predecessor, Optimism Overcomes Obstacles. Self-confidence and optimism are an unbeatable team.

"Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.” ~Golda Meir

• Language: English
• Publisher: Philip Schmitz
• Release date: Mar 5, 2017
• ISBN: 9780997365832

Philip Schmitz

Life is like a gemstone. Let’s hold it under the light and watch it sparkle. Born in Princeton, NJ, Philip Schmitz spent his formative decades in Salzburg, Austria. His exposure to a foreign culture exerted an enormous influence on his life. As a professional translator, he has written well over a million words. Although much of his work was printed between the covers of books (12) and published online, it left him unsatisfied. Wisdom Quotes Illustrated is his first attempt at publishing on the subjects that matter to him most: learning, developing, and changing; staying inspired and motivated; and cultivating a positive, optimistic frame of mind even—and especially—when difficult situations arise. His goal is to produce a series of books that will provide awareness and insight, and encourage personal growth. Philip lives in Connecticut. When he’s not up to his neck in a translation or busily collecting quotes for his next book, he enjoys baking cakes and can found walking in the quiet recesses of nearby nature preserves. View samples of his style at www.fullyhereandnow.com

Book preview

Introduction

Too many people overvalue what they are not

and undervalue what they are.

Malcolm Forbes

Everyone wants confidence. In fact, it was a desire for greater confidence that led me to produce this book. I have good news. It’s not as if you either have confidence pretty much from birth, or you might as well forget about it. No! Confidence can be acquired through practice and—as an essential first step—by taking a hard look at the negative thoughts that are undermining you.

What’s the goal here? What will a greater sense of self-confidence allow you to do? It will enable you to stop comparing yourself with others. Instead of shining a judgmental light on what you are not and detracting from yourself, you will gain the advantage of emphasizing the unique strengths you can bring to bear, while realistically working on areas that need improvement. Having confidence will increase your willingness to take action, even when a decision involves a degree of risk. By the same token, confidence will let you admit having made a mistake and put you in a position to learn from it. You’ll be optimistic because a lesson learned takes you a step closer to your goal and doesn’t necessarily spell defeat.

And another thing. Confidence has been called the first prerequisite for great accomplishment, so it is extremely personal and focused. But it also has an effect on others. A self-confident person is very likely to inspire confidence in others. Nice!

Here’s hoping this compilation of quotes and illustrations will help you discover your very own ways of building confidence and developing the strength to persevere through difficulties. I admit the collection is brief. It does not pretend to be comprehensive. Rather, it’s meant as a pocket companion. Keep this book somewhere handy, say, on your smart phone. Then, if you need a confidence boost, have