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How can I succeed at
something I haven't done before?
Do you feel more confident
when you do something completely new, or when you do something you know
you can do easily?
Does that feeling of
confidence affect your behaviour and performance?
If you are very clear
about your objectives then you will find yourself being more confident,
more fluent and simply more successful. Here's a simple formula, in the
context of a job interview:
Remember several times,
whilst you have been doing your job, that represent skills or abilities
you really value.
Really allow yourself to
daydream into the memories. See everything that you saw, hear everything
that you heard and feel everything that you felt - both touch and
emotions. Take a good few minutes to remember the whole event in as much
detail as you can.
Now you have a few clear
examples to use in the interview.
Next, do the same again
but this time daydream into the future. Think about how the room will
look, the people, the sound of your voice, see yourself from the
interviewer's chair. Notice how confident you look and sound, notice how
that pause before answering really does give the impression that you're a
careful and considered thinker. Take as long as you need to fully imagine
the interview. Hear yourself describing the examples and how they
demonstrate your abilities.
Repeat this a couple of
times so that it becomes real.
Does this work? Definitely, yes!! Do you want to just believe that, or
would you like a scientific explanation?
OK - here is my theory. Do
you feel more confident when you do something completely new, or when you
do something you know you can do easily? Does that feeling of confidence
affect your behaviour and performance?
Your brain handles
memories in exactly the same way as external events i.e. you see, hear and
feel (and smell and taste) both your memories and your current external
experience. Your brain cannot tell the difference between something that
is outside you and something which is a memory.
Taken to the extreme, this
is exactly the symptom of schizophrenia.
So, if you 'remember' the
future in a particular way (using all of your senses, not just your
favourite) then it becomes as real an experience for you to draw upon as
something which has actually happened. Sports coaches use this method
extensively.
Lastly, have a really
clear idea of what you expect from the job and why you want it. Think
about this and write down just 2 or 3 reasons. Then, in a day or two's
time, have a look again and decide if they still make sense to you. Refine
them if you need to and then write them down again.
Why? When you are very
clear about your outcomes, you will achieve them more easily. Your brain
will find new opportunities for you to achieve your outcomes and you will
be surprised at the difference this makes. Just thinking carefully about
what you want makes it much easier to achieve.
Remember that the most
important thing is this: When you're clear on your outcome, TAKE ACTION!
Don't just sit there and
plan. Do something - anything! Then, take time to notice whether you're
closer to your goal or not. Then keep going until you have reached your
goal.
After all, there's not
much point in preparing for success unless you're also prepared to be
successful!
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