Boosting Self-Confidence Through Education by Catherine Foster

Boosting Self-Confidence Through Education
by Catherine Foster

Self-confidence is the currency of success.

Confidence helps people take on life’s challenges in a level-headed and positive manner. It amplifies your strengths and keeps your shortcomings in-check. This is why success is commonly interchanged with having the self-esteem that goes with it.

But in today’s Instagram and social media-savvy world, confidence is also a currency with a high price. Just ask Geena Garcia and how she struggled with loving her hair.

A study from the University of South Wales found that heavy social media users, especially women, are more likely to have low self-esteem and be more self-conscious. While this feeling of insecurity might be more mental, this effect can easily translate to other aspects in your life.

In fact, a Deloitte study revealed that in the workplace a lack of confidence is one of the main problems faced by most millennials and Gen-Z. As a result, this reverberates in all walks of life. The survey found that 93% of executives in the study said they have experienced a recent dip in their confidence.

Studies show that integrating learning into your life can boost your self-confidence in multiple ways. And here’s how:

It allows you to communicate more openly

Learn in a social setting. Studying online or in a classroom setting not only teaches you the content of the lesson but also the manner in which you communicate them. A central skill you learn in education is effective communication and freely expressing your thoughts is a huge confidence boost.

It puts you in a better position

Learn for success. There’s a reason people say you should pick wisely when you choose a degree. There’s a premium on learning the right field that is both suited to you and has adequate demand. This puts you in a better position in life, whether at work or in your community. It’s also the reason people tend to gravitate towards high impact and emerging courses—for personal as well as career success. Maryville University president Dr. Mark Lombardi believes “Student success isn’t just the best measure of a highly successful education. It’s the only measure that matters.” Making it in life gives people the satisfaction and motivation to feel good about themselves.

It trains you to tackle challenges

Learn something every day. Learning is also entangled with another skill that boosts confidence—problem solving. Education provides adequate training in analyzing, creating hypotheses, and thinking of ways to solve problems. By having the ability to take on impending challenges, your self-image and self-esteem get a significant boost. “If you don’t need to learn something, it is going to be tricky to push through frustration points. By making self-education a built-in part of your goals, you’re driven to learn out of more than random curiosity,” says Ultra Learning author Scott Young.

Education and confidence create a reinforcing loop of positive feedback. While learning is important in gaining confidence, the latter is also instrumental in the efficient accumulation of knowledge. The key is to start somewhere and to commit to integrating learning in everything you do.

Feature article for missheardmedia.com , Contributed by Catherine Foster

Making School Memorable & Standing Up for Education by Hajra Salim

Life Skills Crash Course! Are you ready to move out?