Over the years many voice actors have asked me how to “find their confidence.”
This elusive super power lives inside all of us, but how do we tap into it when we need it most? Or, what happens if we can’t find it?
Well, before we can master anything in life, we must first put it into practice.
So, ummm, practice being confident? YES. Practice makes progress in all things!
First, being confident means:
1. The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.
2. Feeling sure of yourself and your abilities — not in an arrogant way, but in a realistic, secure way. Confidence isn’t about feeling superior to others. It’s a quiet inner knowing that you’re capable.
Trust Yourself
Learning to trust yourself is a major confidence building block, and there’s no better way to tackle this than by getting to know your awesome self better!
It’s fair to say that you have areas of your life that you feel pretty darn solid in. Maybe it’s your work or a certain skill set, or maybe you feel super confident in your friendships and relationships.
…Or, your eye-catching good looks! 😉
Now, think back to the beginning when you were first learning that job… Or developing those particular skills or when those relationships were brand spankin’ new. There’s a chance that you proceeded with caution until you had proof that you were in fact making gains!
Every time you receive positive feedback or validation you start to feel a little more sure of yourself. Those baby steps or baby wins along the way are your “confidence training wheel” moments! Being brave enough to allow yourself to take chances and try new things is a huge part of the confidence building process.
Other building blocks of confidence include self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-improvement. So, by understanding your strengths and weaknesses, accepting yourself for who you are, and working on your personal growth, you can boost your confidence and become more self-assured.
Competence = Confidence
You’ll keep acquiring proof along the way, and your mindset also plays a big part in how you see yourself. So, try not to make failures or missteps mean more than what they truly are. They’re information. You got a result. Keep trying new approaches until you get a result you’re happy with! In other words, if you try reading a character piece and you totally flop, it doesn’t mean you’ll never succeed in that genre. It means you’ve got more work to do. That’s it! A lot of talent tell themselves very negative stories. Ummm, that’s not going to help you, my friend. You can keep it real with yourself, but talk to yourself the way you’d talk to your favorite five year old, okay? With love! And keep showing up and doing the work. The more competent and capable you become at new things, the more confident you’ll feel in your abilities. And as a voice actor, performance muscles have to be flexed repeatedly until you start to believe in yourself and eventually own your reads like a boss.
Relax
Try not to take yourself too seriously. Let yourself make mistakes! Sometimes things have to get ugly before they get pretty! 😉 It’s like coloring outside the lines, baby! And don’t forget to have fun!
Celebrate Others
Remember that bit above about seeking validation and proof? Yeah. It’s a key component to finding your own confidence, so why not pay it forward by helping others find their awesomesauce too? Cheering for your people and genuinely telling them how incredible they are goes such a long way. Sincere and specific feedback can really make a powerful impact. So, don’t forget to return the favor!
Fear Walking
And, last but not least… There’s always the option to “not be confident,” and still do the thing (whatever it is) anyway. Yep. Be scared. Be unsure. Be vulnerable. And do it anyway. Maybe confidence is a bit overrated? 😉
I’ve seen so many people take chances on themselves. They’ve shown up at TVAS and gotten on the mic with shaky breathing and trembling voices. Some even visibly shaking. My heart went out to them, but I also felt so much deep respect for them for showing up for themselves and fiercely going for it.
That’s fear walking and talking.
I’ll leave you with an inspiring video to watch if you want to dig a little deeper into this subject:
Brené Brown’s Top 10 Rules for Overcoming Vulnerability and Fear
So, mastering confidence… Yeah. It’s possible. However, with or without it, I know YOU are capable of great things.