How To Be More Confident: 15 Surprising Habits of Confident People

Last Updated on August 20, 2023 by Lori Geurin

Confident people are those who dare to take risks. They don’t let their fears get in the way of what they want. They set goals for themselves and work hard to make them happen.

Confidence is a trait that many people work on adopting because it leads to greater mental health, more fulfilling relationships, and personal success. In this blog post, I will be sharing 15 habits of confident people so you can start taking steps towards being more confident today! 

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What Is Confidence?

Confidence is not about being perfect, it’s about embracing your flaws (yes, it’s actually possible). Self-confidence is not about always being right, it’s about making mistakes and learning from them.

And self-esteem isn’t something that can be achieved overnight – it takes time to build. But when you’re confident, every day becomes an opportunity for personal growth.

A confident person is someone who feels in control, accepts themselves, and refuses to worry about what others think. They’re also able to take responsibility for their potential so they can manage their work-life balance. Here are a few habits that confident people have that you can adopt too.

How To Be More Confident

If you lack confidence, these tips can help!

1. Admit When You Are Wrong

If you’re confident, you don’t need to be right all the time. Being infallible can often lead to a lack of confidence down the road.

One of the surprising habits of confident people is that they can change their minds when the situation changes.

If they make a mistake, they learn from it and improve their decision-making skills. They don’t sit on the knowledge that they’re always right because self-esteem is about what you do, not about having to be in control all of the time.

Unconfident people may have trouble changing their beliefs, for whatever reason.

Sure, it’s not easy to be humble when expertise is highly valued in society, but you can overcome this by being more realistic. Let go of your pride and admit when you’re wrong – it’s not a weakness, it’s a strength!

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2. Be Mindful About Social Media

They plan their time to be mindful of when they can check their devices and when they should stay away from them.

(If you need a break from social media, here’s a 30-Day Social Media Detox Challenge that can help!)

People who lack confidence sometimes check their phones as soon as they get a notification because they can’t stand not knowing. It’s human nature to get distracted. But it’s difficult to be confident when you’re too busy trying to figure out what everyone else is up to.

Confident people plan how and when they check their phone, rather than just reacting whenever it dings. They don’t let fear dictate their actions. Instead, they wait to check it when they have more time to respond, keeping their priorities in check.

3. Take Responsibility for Your Actions

They don’t make excuses or blame others. They know that they are in charge of their behaviors. Sure, they may have sought the advice of others, but ultimately it’s a confident person who takes ownership over all that is going on around them and gives self-confidence to others to be responsible for themselves as well.

This level of confidence comes with practice in analyzing and owning your actions (and non-actions). Again, self-confidence is not bravado. It’s not arrogance or putting yourself on a pedestal – it’s simply having confidence in your abilities.

Take ownership over your life and actions!

If you find yourself making excuses for why you did something, or why you’re not doing something pause and take a step back.

Are your excuses based on action (i.e., I couldn’t because…) or judgment about the situation (I wasn’t able to because…)?

If you catch yourself making excuses or blaming others for your failures change the way that you’re thinking about a situation.

Saying “It wasn’t my fault” isn’t helpful. Changing to “I could have done something differently” allows you to take ownership of your life.

4. Ask Good Questions Rather Than Just Making Statements

Confidence is about working with people and collaborating as a team to solve problems instead of asserting that you are better than them.[*]

They know that self-confidence comes from within and not just from other people telling them they are doing good.

Being curious and asking questions is a great way to gain confidence. Plus it makes you appear intelligent, curious, and open-minded.

When you ask questions, it shows that you respect the other person’s opinion even if your views differ from theirs. You want to learn their point of view. You don’t need them to change what they think.

5. Be Humble

Having a balanced understanding of self-confidence and humility is essential. You can become confident by knowing that you are capable from within, but also being mindful of others’ feelings.

Those who are confident know how to be good partners and team players without bragging about what they can do or have achieved in life.

Being humble is about being aware of your worth while acknowledging the value of others. And it’s a good quality to have.

6. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

You aren’t threatened by others’ successes because you know and understand your worth and avoid comparing yourself to others.

They understand that their self-worth is measured by many other things, and so they don’t mind if someone else does well.

They can, however, be supportive of other people’s success even if they do not possess the same quality.

7. Focus on What You Can Do, Not What You Can’t Do

Knowing and accepting your weaknesses is a sure sign of self-confidence. Don’t let weaknesses stand between you and what you want to achieve.

A confident person is not someone who thinks that everything comes easy but knows how to push hard towards goals that require extra effort and work.

They do not let their self-worth be a shield against criticism or evaluation; they are open to feedback but believe in themselves and their capabilities.

Instead of dwelling on what you think you can’t do, focus on what strengths you have that will help you achieve your goals.

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8. Never Stop Growing and Learning

Taking every opportunity to learn means being open to the idea that you may not know everything. Self-confident people aren’t threatened by learning and growing because they’re always striving to be better at what they do.

They embrace a growth mindset and are life-long learners, always improving themselves.

9. Be Vulnerable

Confident people can talk about their struggles or failures without feeling ashamed. They understand the value of staying connected to other people and having social support.[*]

They know that to feel confident is not just about having a good job or winning an argument but it means knowing that you are worthy of being loved and respected as much as anyone else out there.

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10. Be Yourself

Confident people aren’t scared of taking risks with their looks, careers, relationships, or anything else because they know that you should not let other people’s opinions stop you.

They’re not afraid to stand out as different because they understand the value of being true to yourself and your purpose…no matter what anyone else is doing.

11. Be Aware of Your Feelings and Deal With Them

They don’t try to please everyone – self-confidence does not mean being a people pleaser. It’s about being true to yourself and knowing that you are enough even if you don’t have what everyone else has.

As long as you’re working hard and trying your best, know that others appreciate this.

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12. Acknowledge That Failure Can Lead to Success

Confident people are not afraid of failure because they know that you can learn from the mistakes you’ve made and become better for them.

They know that self-confidence comes from within and not just from other people applauding each of their moves or achievements in life. They understand that making mistakes is important for growth. Knowing this will allow you to push yourself out of your comfort zone and try new things.

Both strengths and weaknesses are a gift.

13. Know That The Past Does Not Determine Your Future

Confident people understand that their past does not define their future. Instead, they focus on the present and the changes they’re willing to make to influence their future.

They trust themselves and their abilities to weather any storm, even if they’ve been through storms in the past.

Want to be more confident when speaking? Check out the 50 ways to share fun facts about yourself.

14. Don’t Have To Constantly Compete

Confident people refuse to compete with other people for attention or validation. Having silent confidence in yourself is powerful.

They aren’t afraid of losing because they know and understand their worth.

This leads me to the next habit…

15. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

Confident people are not threatened by other people’s successes because they know their worth. Instead, self-confidence means taking pride in yourself for achieving your personal goals.

So how do you feel when someone else is successful? Do you feel happy for them?

This can be tough for a lot of people, especially if they start ruminating about things like thinking they’re more qualified, or a better friend, or more encouraging.

But playing this comparison game never helps anyone.

When people compare themselves with others instead of finding ways to improve, this leads to a lack of confidence.

They start to feel bad about themselves because they’re not living up to the standards and accomplishments of others, which then leads them down a spiral of self-doubt.

In reality, confidence isn’t about feeling superior to others, it is simply knowing who you are as an individual and acting upon your values.

If healthy self-confidence is your goal, skip the comparison game and focus on improving yourself instead of worrying about what others are doing or how they measure up to you.

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What Self-Confidence Is Not

Being Confident Isn’t Always Obvious

Now that we’ve talked about the habits of confident people, let’s take a quick look at what confidence is not.

Self-Confidence Is Not…

• Feeling like you’re better than everyone else
• Exaggerating your abilities
• Being arrogant
• Telling others how great you are
• Becoming someone you’re not to impress other people
• Being a know-it-all

Final Thoughts: How To Be More Confident

We all want confidence – it’s a sign of resilience and strength. It enables us to take on challenges that would otherwise leave us paralyzed with fear.

Being confident helps us be our true selves. And self-confidence comes from within, not without.

It’s a feeling of self-assurance or courage that makes us feel like we can handle difficult situations, challenges, and responsibilities. But it doesn’t come easy to everyone – it’s something you have to work hard at to achieve.

Confident people do things differently. They believe in themselves, and their value. In the end, feeling confident is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight so be patient with yourself.

You can crush self-doubt and build confidence by being aware and staying in touch with who you are. In order to stay grounded in reality, it’s important to be aware of what is real and what isn’t.

Related: 30 Fun Facts About Yourself

Printable Habit Tracker for Becoming More Confident

We designed our printable Habit Tracker to help you stay on track with your health and fitness goals, creating powerful habits to transform your life!

What do you think about confidence? Any personal growth stories? Share below!