True confidence is consistent. It’s genuine, and it comes from a happiness within. You know immediately when someone exhibits true confidence; they are comfortable in their own skin, and they carry themselves with grace and humility. He/she exudes calmness, composure, and is self-aware. We know that many things start and end with confidence, but we rarely stop to evaluate whether we have the right type of confidence. True confidence is not pretending to the world, wearing different masks to appear a certain way. Most of us are only situationally confident instead of truly confident. We all have supporters and critics, and they can both be valuable; however, paying too much attention to both and seeking validation from them is a mistake. It’s having that self-belief and sense of personal worth that will matter much more in the long run. After three decades on Wall Street, I try my best to avoid negative people, toxic environments and people that just like to talk versus the people of deeds that understand commitment and action. Those are the people that are truly confident and the people that you should surround yourself with.

The recent market volatility reminds me of the two great investors that I cited in my book as being the best investors of all time: the late Sir John Templeton and Warren Buffett. Do you think they would lose confidence in their convictions about the future of America because of a correction? Do you think they would lose confidence in their strategy? No. They looked at every market correction as a buying opportunity to own companies at a discounted price. They didn’t waste valuable time and energy listening to the talking heads on TV. They didn’t try to time the market or trade and speculate. They learned from their mistakes, and they never panicked.

These two giants in the world of investing have shown us for over 50 years that true confidence is humility; it’s being steady and working so hard at your craft that people can’t distinguish between work and play. True confidence is having passion and using it to fuel everything that you do. A truly confident person never has the need to brag about themselves. They don’t need to be the center of attention. They give recognition away instead of looking for a pat on the back or a moment in the spotlight.

True confidence is having passion and using it to fuel everything that you do.

True confidence came through this week in South Korea at the Winter Olympics. These young amazing athletes all have one thing in common; they all worked very hard to compete on the world stage. Shaun White stood at the top of the 2018 Winter Olympics Games halfpipe. He needed the run of his life, and he did it, winning gold in high drama. At 31, he is the oldest man of the group. The lowest point of his life came in the last Olympic Games when he didn’t even get on the podium. He rebuilt his confidence, worked hard and achieved gold four years later. Of the 3,000 athletes at these Olympic Winter Games, we know that a very small percentage will win medals. Many will be heartbroken, but they know they are competing and taking part. History shows us that the best path to success and obtaining true confidence is always knowing that you did your very best and gave your all. Knowing that you left it all on the field gives you that peace of mind.

Regardless of how old you are, true confidence doesn’t happen without a lot of hard work and discipline, as well as the courage to face your fears and go through them. There are no short cuts to true confidence; that is why it is so valuable. Missing a shot or making a mistake doesn’t destroy you because you know deep down that you put in the hours and the hard work to get to this point. This allows you to take more risks and become truly confident.

Missing a shot or making a mistake doesn’t destroy you because you know deep down that you put in the hours and the hard work to get to this point.

Gaining this genuine belief is one of the greatest gifts that you can give yourself, and once you have it within, you can use it to help others, whether they are your children, your friends, colleagues or your teammates.

Once you gain true confidence you can quickly focus on the information that’s valuable to you instead of the noise that tries to fill up our day. You have so much content today that does nothing for your confidence or productivity. It’s just a distraction that keeps you from being who you are meant to be, and if you are not living up to your potential because of the distractions that come across your path, how can you be truly confident?

People with true confidence are:

• Not afraid of being themselves.
• They are compassionate.
• They are not afraid of making a mistake or being wrong.
• They are okay standing alone. They don’t need the approval of others.
• They are intuitive listeners. They listen 7 times more than they talk.
• They go out of their way to recognize others.
• They know what they don’t know, and as a result, they are not afraid to ask for help.
• They take full responsibility and own their mistakes.
• They don’t let success go to their head.
• They embrace new challenges and keep their negative inner voice at bay.
• They are curious about the world around them.
• They avoid negative, loud, and aggressive people.
• They know that having more fancy possessions doesn’t lead to true confidence, but having more skills does.

What are you going to do today to build true confidence? Pick up a copy of The Growth Mindset to learn how to build true confidence.

Rick Capozzi is a highly regarded industry leader in financial services, author, and former National Sales Manager at Morgan Stanley. Rick’s notable 30-year track record of success spans across several channels, including private banking and trust, wealth management, and Registered Investment Advisor (RIA). Holding senior leadership positions with the world’s largest organizations, including TD Private Bank, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo and UBS, Rick’s track record speaks for itself. As Regional President at Wells with over $30 billion in AUM and Regional Director at Morgan Stanley with over $35 billion in AUM, Rick led both regions from nearly last to first in the country by applying his sound principles, proven strategies and actionable tactics.

Rick is currently president of Capozzi Advisory Group, LLC, a boutique consulting and training firm. He is quietly opening his playbook to bring real-world experience and deep industry knowledge by offering managers and advisors proven winning strategies and solutions to achieve sustainable growth. Check out his book, The Growth Mindset, now available on Amazon.