From the Founder, Brian Mazza 6/22
Confidence Was Never the Problem
Watch a toddler dance at a wedding.
Watch a little kid sprint across a soccer field.
Watch them tell a story, sing a song, wear a superhero cape to dinner, or introduce themselves to a room full of strangers.
They don’t hesitate.
They don’t wonder what people think.
They don’t care if they look silly.
They’re confident.
Which raises an interesting question:
If children are naturally confident, where did ours go?
Yes we can do hard things daily to build confidence, but I don’t believe confidence is something we build by mistake.
I believe confidence is something we lose.
Somewhere along the way, we start collecting opinions.
We become aware of judgment.
We compare ourselves to others.
We begin worrying about whether we’re good enough, smart enough, successful enough, fit enough, rich enough, or talented enough.
The world slowly convinces us that we need permission to be ourselves.
A child doesn’t need permission.
A child simply acts.
Think back to when you were young.
You rode the bike before you knew how.
You tried out for the team before you knew if you’d make it.
You raised your hand before you knew the answer.
You weren’t fearless.
You were free.
The confidence wasn’t coming from certainty.
It was coming from curiosity.
As adults, we often wait until we feel confident before we take action.
Children do the opposite.
They take action first.
Then they learn.
Then they improve.
Then they gain confidence.
Maybe the lesson isn’t to build more confidence.
Maybe the lesson is to stop overcomplicating what came naturally before the world got involved.
Speak up.
Take the shot.
Apply for the job.
Start the business.
Sign up for the race.
Tell the person how you feel.
Most of the things you’re waiting to feel confident enough to do are the very things that will create confidence.
The next time you see a child playing, pay attention.
They aren’t worried about looking foolish.
They’re too busy living.
And maybe that’s the reminder we all need.
Confidence isn’t some secret reserved for a select few.
It was your factory setting.
Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes.
Perhaps the goal isn’t to become someone new.
Perhaps the goal is to remember who you were before the world told you who to be.
