Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: How to understand yourself
• Method 2 of 3: How to Live With Self-Confidence
• Method 3 of 3: Overcoming Challenges with Personal Strength

Many successful people have one thing in common: a strong-willed character. A strong-willed person has firm principles and ideals, but he is open to new things and is ready to adapt to unfamiliar situations. If you want to become a strong-willed person, be patient and tune in to work - developing the necessary qualities in yourself requires the same effort as working on your body in the gym. Understand what you believe in, live by your principles, and develop the endurance that will allow you to face any challenge.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: How to understand yourself

1. 1 Calm your mind. A strong-minded person must have a clean mind. Learn to let go of unnecessary anxieties, get rid of distractions, and focus on what's important. If you find yourself worrying about little things again, take a deep breath and mentally return to what you want to think about.
   • Meditation is a great way to learn to control your mind. If you have not done meditation before, it may be difficult at first, because your mind is not yet accustomed to calmness. Do not despair - it will get easier over time. To see the first results, it is enough to devote only 5-10 minutes of meditation a day.
   • If you want to focus on the moment, try writing down the thoughts that come to you. Imagine that you are throwing whatever comes into your head on paper. When you get the thoughts out of your head, it will be easier for you to focus. Come back to these thoughts or ideas later.
2. 2 Find out what gives you pleasure. Think about when you felt happy or contented and why. Then consider why the experience was enjoyable. Try to reproduce these situations as often as possible. Ask questions about yourself to loved ones. Ask them how they would describe you when you are happy and what they think makes you happy. This information will help you learn something new about yourself.
   • For example, if you enjoyed working as a tutor, try to help others and share your knowledge more often.
3. 3 Find out what motivates you. Think about what pushes you forward and helps you to keep your hands on in everyday life. If you find yourself more often than not just trying to get through the day, consider what you would do with your time if you didn't have to worry about current issues like money.
   • Motivating factors can be related to your values. For example, if you value friendship, you will be motivated to spend more time with the friends you have and meet new people.
4. 4 Set long-term goals for yourself. Having a purpose in life in front of your eyes will make it easier for you to be a strong-willed person, to overcome difficulties and solve problems. Set goals for yourself that will guide your life. Try to think of at least a rough plan for the next five years.
   • List several goals that you would like to achieve in the coming years.For example, you might decide to complete your studies, find a job, or learn Italian.
   • To make it easier to reach your goals, surround yourself with people who also have goals. Chat with mentors with whom you can discuss your dreams.
5. 5 Consider achievable short-term goals. Once you have a general idea of ​​what you want to do, break down your long-term goals into smaller ones. This will make your goals less daunting and easier to follow.
   • Set SMART goals. SMART is an acronym describing what goals should be: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, the goal of “finding a job” can be broken down into several small goals: writing a resume, doing an internship, getting additional education.
   • Give yourself plenty of time to reach your goals. Time frames should be realistic and should take into account recreation, entertainment and possible contingencies.

Method 2 of 3: How to Live With Self-Confidence

1. 1 Look for new information. Think about what your principles are based on. If you feel that your values ​​are based on emotions or misinformation, take a look at the available information and consider whether you should reconsider your beliefs. Follow current events, try to read more and watch the news.
   • If you can back up your beliefs with facts, it will be easier for you to feel confident. You will be ready for deeper conversations with other people.
   • Keep track of who you are chatting with. Choose knowledgeable and thoughtful people for communication with whom you can enter into mature discussions.
   • Don't believe everything on the internet. Some sites deliberately disseminate false information.
2. 2 Do not worry. Think about what you can influence, and do not waste energy on what is outside your zone of influence. If you're worried about a situation or an upcoming event, consider what you can do to prepare or make the situation less stressful. Then channel your energy into action.
   • If you are constantly stressed, set aside a special time for worrying each day. Let yourself be nervous for 10 minutes. If you feel like you're going through a different time, force yourself to focus on something else. Try to set aside 10 minutes at different times of the day and choose the option that seems most comfortable to you.
3. 3 Take responsibility for your actions. Remind yourself that you are responsible for all your actions and decisions. Don't blame others if something goes wrong. Think about what will be the most constructive response, and ask yourself what you can do to avoid making mistakes in the future.
   • If something good happens in your life, praise yourself for what you have done, and do not attribute everything to just luck. Share the good news with others and celebrate the event. This will keep you motivated and build confidence.
4. 4 Develop good habits. To become a strong-willed person, it is worth making good habits for every day: get up at the first ring of the alarm clock, keep the house clean, and exercise regularly. If you are prone to procrastination, break this habit: be responsible for other people and break your goals into small, manageable steps.
   • Make one good habit at a time. Write down how often you manage to follow the habit. Try to do the same activity regularly for at least a month before moving on to the next habit.
5. 5 Get ready to learn new things and change. Being a strong-willed person does not mean refusing to change your mind about something. Over time, people's ideas about something can change, so do not cling to the past.Be open to new possibilities and try to evaluate difficult questions from different angles. When talking to people, listen to them carefully, even if you disagree with them.
   • Educate yourself: read, watch documentaries, listen to podcasts, go to museums.
6. 6 Don't let others influence you too much. Strong-willed people do not begin to doubt themselves whenever someone disagrees with them. To make it easier to stick to your beliefs, keep a journal and learn to say no. If you disagree, express your opinion confidently. Do not keep your thoughts to yourself and do not feel that you have to make excuses to others for your opinions.
7. 7 Learn to recognize other people's motives. To feel confident in your opinions and decisions, you need to learn how to perceive other people correctly. If a person inspires trust and respect, listen carefully, but do not follow the lead of selfish people who are driven by their personal motives.
   • If a person constantly feels the need to communicate with you and tries to convince you of something, but you do not like it, refuse to communicate with such a person. Most likely, the person acts from his own personal motives.

Method 3 of 3: Overcoming Challenges with Personal Strength

1. 1 Look at your problems from the outside. Don't overblow problems. Thinking about catastrophic consequences, blaming yourself and jumping to conclusions can undermine your mental health. Try to be realistic about the situation.
   • To make it easier to control what is happening, challenge your thoughts from time to time. Consider if you have enough evidence to support a particular thought. Decide if you are really looking at the situation objectively.
   • For example, if you didn’t perform well in front of an audience of 100 people, you may decide that you have failed and that you shouldn’t perform any more. If so, remind yourself that many people have bad performances and that this is not the end of the world.
   • Try talking to a close friend or therapist to see things differently. This person will not be emotionally involved in your situation and will be able to be objective. This will give you new information to think about.
2. 2 Don't compare yourself to others. Strong-willed people are confident and resist challenges regardless of the success or failure of others. If you need comparisons, evaluate the goals you have achieved and you will see how you have grown.
   • While strong-willed people are often found in competitive environments (sales, sports, politics, education), they only succeed because they can handle competitive pressures.
   • Analyze how you use social media. Consider if they make you compare yourself to others, feel inferior to others, or have any other negative feelings.
3. 3 Think constructively. Do not feel sorry for yourself or convince yourself that the situation is hopeless. Look for ways to take control of the situation. Discard negative thoughts and remind yourself that they are useless.
   • The tone of your inner monologue can be negative, so watch it. If you find yourself constantly saying negative thoughts to yourself, replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
   • Instead of, "Why even try?" - tell yourself this: "Today I will try to do it a little differently."
   • The people you interact with can have a big impact on your thoughts. If people around you often allow themselves negative statements, try to spend less time with them so that they do not hinder your development.
4. 4 Accept that discomfort is normal. Getting out of your comfort zone requires persistence and strength, but this is the only way to achieve a new level. Set yourself goals that are slightly beyond your skill level. Accept the inevitability of failure and practice doing things without expecting a specific result.Discomfort, setbacks, and insecurities are perfectly normal and even beneficial for personal development.
   • To develop your ability to overcome difficulties, sign up for a public speaking club or for challenging workouts.
5. 5 Do not give up. If something matters to you, do not give up, even if it is difficult for you and if you have already suffered defeat. Go to your goal, even if you are still far from it. Try to take at least one small step forward every day.
   • For example, if you are having trouble getting the job you want, try temporarily working elsewhere and taking evening classes in the area you want to work in.
   • If you decide that a goal or task is no longer worth the effort, be prepared to give it up, but at the same time be honest with yourself. Give up on a goal just because it no longer aligns with your values ​​and aspirations, not because it turns out to be too difficult.