March 19, 2024
March 19, 2024
Psalm 119:9-16; Isaiah 44:1-8; Acts 2:14-24
Pause. Pray. Read. Be still. Write. Pray.
Read: Acts 2: 14-24
There is no bigger cliché in business psychology than the idea that high self-confidence is key to career success. It is time to debunk this myth. In fact, low self-confidence is more likely to make you successful. After many years of researching and consulting on talent, I’ve concluded that self-confidence is only helpful when it’s low. Sure, extremely low confidence is not helpful: it inhibits performance by inducing fear, worry, and stress, which may drive people to give up sooner or later. But just-low-enough confidence can help you recalibrate your goals, so they are (a) more realistic and (b) attainable.
If your confidence is low, rather than extremely low, you stand a better chance of succeeding than if you have high self-confidence. There are three main reasons for this:
- Lower self-confidence makes you pay attention to negative feedback and be self-critical.
- Lower self-confidence can help you to work harder and prepare more.
- Lower self-confidence reduces the chances of coming off as arrogant or deluded.
Having confidence to address a crowd is never easy and it is certainly not for the faint of heart. Peter, I imagine, was likely lacking in self-confidence as one of Jesus’ disciples. Yet, he found the courage to do something he most likely never anticipated doing in his life, speaking before a bewildered crowd, as a transformed man. I imagine he was met with a bag of mixed emotions as he recalled a time when his voice was consumed with denial. Yet, he stood before the crowd speaking from a place of divine authority, captivating the minds and hearts of all who hear him. Can you imagine hearing Peter’s voice deliver a message with such passion and certainty, knowing that deep down his knees were likely shaking. Surely, the reaction from the crowd was also filled with a full range of emotions, surprise, tears, awe, wonder, joy, and so many questions about what this all means.
Be Still: When have you found your confidence lower than normal? How did you adapt to trust in yourself or rely on God to help nurture you through the challenge? Just imagine how stepping out of your comfort zone helps others who may be experiencing lower than normal self-confidence. Take time today to celebrate the ways your message or interaction with others may have captivated their emotions. Then, going forward, pay attention to when you lack the confidence to do something being asked of you, then consider if it might be the perfect opportunity to begin something new.
Prayer: Nurturing God, on days when I feel like I can move mountains without care for others, humble me for the work before me. When moving a grain of sand requires much more confidence than I have, empower me to press forward, with the confidence in knowing you will guide and nurture me every step of the way. Amen.