What do you do if you're struggling to assert yourself and gain confidence in your career?

Close your eyes and imagine following situation - you are going for a really long ride by car. Your car is parked nearby. What will you do? Will you sit behind the wheel and start driving or you will check the car first? Do you see an analogy? You are the car in this case and before going for a long ride you need to understand yourself. Self-awareness is one of the most important thing in life - professional and private.

The first step towards asserting yourself is understanding your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Identify the specific situations or people that make you feel uncomfortable or unsure of yourself. Reflect on past experiences and consider how you could have responded differently. This self-reflection can help you develop a clearer sense of your strengths, weaknesses, and values.

No, it is not. You know who you are and what you can do - and what you have done. And although having it written down is a great visual reference, when you are in an impact situation it is about as much help as a singing canary. Additionally, if you only gain confidence from what you have done, you'll never do anything new. What you should rather focus on is the fact THAT you have done new things in the past, you have done scary things in the past, outside your comfort zone - and you survived. You may have failed at first, but you got through. Don't trust what you have done - Trust that you have taken action - and you can do so again.

Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, values, and aspirations is fundamental to building confidence in your career. Take time to reflect on your skills, interests, and passions. Identify areas where you excel and areas where you want to improve. Self-awareness lays the foundation for personal and professional growth.

Self evaluation and self actualisation are the key factors to know ourselves better. Get to know more about your strengths, weaknesses, interest and so on and leverage your full potential to actualise yourself. Gain control towards your mind and body to get confidence since we will get self awareness to set our goals efficiently.

Setting clear, achievable goals can provide direction and motivation in your career journey. Define both short-term and long-term objectives that align with your aspirations. Break down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks to make progress more tangible. Having a roadmap for success can boost your confidence and focus.

A goal is something you put in place to achieve a specific and desired outcome. A goal is meaningless unless you understand why it is there - the outcome, the change you want to experience. What it should enable you to do. But - this is a critical step because it strengthens your resolve and gives you power to step into that uncomfortable, new situation - because you have a compelling reason. Something you will gain if you do or something you will lose (often stronger) if you don't. Then your skills and experience sometimes does not matter, because you'll do what it takes and learn what you must to get there.

I remember when I was struggling to assert myself in a new role. I found it helpful to remind myself of past accomplishments and successes. Reflecting on my achievements gave me the confidence to tackle new challenges and assert myself more effectively.

Effective communication is essential for asserting yourself in the workplace. Practice expressing your ideas, opinions, and concerns confidently and assertively. Pay attention to your body language, tone of voice, and choice of words. Be concise, articulate, and respectful when communicating with colleagues and supervisors.

Feedback is a valuable tool for professional development and building confidence. Actively seek feedback from colleagues, supervisors, and mentors to gain insight into your performance and areas for improvement. Embrace both positive feedback and constructive criticism as opportunities for growth. Use feedback to refine your skills and enhance your confidence.

Build a network that is not only from your industry but has lot of experience about many things happening in the industry and in organisations generally. That could help you to reflect on where you were wrong, and gain effective feedback so that you can improve on a timely basis.

Cultivating strong relationships with colleagues and mentors can provide support and encouragement in your career journey. Collaborate with others, seek mentorship opportunities, and participate in networking events. Surrounding yourself with positive influences can boost your confidence and provide valuable guidance.

Lack of Assertiveness is not always caused by lack of confidence. You may lack the willingness to be assertive because you have not clarified what you want to be assertive about, or you simply don't wish to engage in the conflict that may arise from taking a polite but deliberate stand. But you have to make a choice. Be dragged around everywhere and by everyone else, or take a stand. Just remember, taking a stand means you'll need to defend it. So rather than avoid it, learn how to defend it in a professional and co-operative manner. Lack of confidence? Fear is a powerful force and sometimes it is best to find a coach or a mentor that can help you build the right internal capabilities.

Struggling to find your voice at work? feeling stuck & silent? Here's your to a more confident YOU! Remember, you were hired for a reason - your skills and perspective matter. Small steps build confidence: Speak up in meetings, ask questions, volunteer for stretch projects. Advocate for yourself respectfully. You've got this!