What is it about the letter P?!
Life coaches and finance institutes, marketing companies and research lecturers use the letter P to compile a list of characteristics or traits, strategies or goals, or whatever else to motivate and teach their different audiences.
Dvorah Stein, a coaching culture leadership specialist from Cape Town, also drew up a list using the letter P … her list is: The 5 P’s of Confidence!
One of the most frequently used definitions of (self-) confidence is:
Confidence is believing in yourself, feeling comfortable in your true-self, knowing you have worth.
If you are confident, people believe you, confidence is attractive, brings success, helps to connect well with others and you generally feel happier.
According to Dvorah Stein the 5 P’s of confidence are:
- Presence
- Patience
- Purpose
- Preparation
- Practice
Let’s discuss the 5 P’s of confidence one by one:
Presence
is the attitude you project to the world AND the attitude you project inward i.e. how you truly feel about yourself.
Patience
is self-confidence … What is the link between patience and self-confidence, you may very well ask. Not only is patience needed in our daily lives where many things are concerned but you also need patience whilst allowing your confidence to grow. You need to focus on knowing and trusting and believing that what you are i.e. your inner being will guide you to reach your fullest potential. This can only happen over time. Thus you need patience.
Purpose
gives you direction, it motivates you and it gives meaning to your life. It also helps you to make decisions – big decisions and small decisions. If you have purpose in your life it helps you to put everything around you and everything that happens to you in prespective; it also helps you to focus on what is meaningful to you. Lastly it also helps you to enjoy life.
Preparation
breeds confidence, it is said. You can only be confident, no matter what you are doing, if you are properly prepared.
Practice, practice, practice.
Persist, persist, persist. Self-confidence does not happen by accident. Confidence comes from repeated practice. Confidence also comes from knowing when to persevere. Life always has its quota of obstacles, setbacks and disappointments. You should never, never give up though.
Apart from these 5 P’s the following P’s can also be added:
- Positivity
- Productivity
- Politeness
- Physical – you are your own ‘brand’; it is important to make a good first impression at all times.
- Progress – avoid stagnating; ensure that you grow on a personal and professional/educational/skills level as much as possible.
Awaken your inner child by listening to a fun song, The Letter P Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stMIusugnvk
