For some, lack of confidence could mean they’re not very sociable. For others, it could be crippling and could hold them back from reaching their full potential, either personally or professionally. Lacking confidence is usually rooted in personal experiences, such as upbringing, comparison to others, and even personality traits. Some may feel that there’s no way to overcome a lack of self-confidence. But can impersonating confidence actually lead to feeling self-confidence?
Impersonation
Merriam’s dictionary defines impersonation as “to assume or act the character of.” Professional actors often delve deep into the characters they portray. They mimic their posture, tone of voice, even facial expressions. This allows them to not only deliver convincing performances but also to embody the personalities of the characters they are portraying. Many successful performers were able to find a way to turn a situation they feared into success. According to Castingfrontier.com, actor Al Pacino said, “My first language was shy. It’s only by having been thrust into the limelight that I have learned to cope with my shyness.”
The thought of being “thrust into the limelight” may put some off completely. But you may be able to develop the ability to tweak or adjust your behavior in a slight but meaningful way. For example, you may wish to be more outgoing, but your idea of mingling at a party is waving hello from a distant corner. While it may be unnatural for you to approach everyone at the party with jokes and laughs, you could set a goal to approach one person whom you have not met and introduce yourself. Then, next time you find yourself in another gathering, expand the number of people you approach and talk to. Incrementally adopting a desired behavior will help you to feel more comfortable as you reach your goal.
Body Language of Confidence
Behavior expert Joe Navarro says, “Confidence begins in the brain, but it’s the body that convinces ourselves and others.” Here are some tips to that:
- Walk Confidently – When you walk into a room or on a stage, do so as if you were on a mission. With your shoulders rolled back and your chin slightly lifted. Don’t be afraid to look around the room.
- Make Eye Contact – Make and sustain the appropriate eye contact.
- Use Gestures – As you speak make smooth and broad hand gestures. Try steepling, which is done by placing the fingertips of both hands together, spreading them. This is a universal display of confidence.
Model Confidence
Can you think of a leader, speaker, or artist, whose confidence you admire? Try impersonating their behavior. How do they walk into a room? What’s their tone of voice? How do they look at their audience? What type of gestures do they make? By modeling their confident behavior, we can adopt it as our own.
Faking confidence is an artform that some individuals master in different areas of their lives. It involves projecting a self-assured demeanor, even when we have internal doubts or insecurities. Remember, the next time you walk into a room, go in with eyes wide open, roll your shoulders back, and scan the room and the people in it. By impersonating qualities of confident people, you can become a confident person.
Written by Rosa Rowles
Human Risk Analyst at Social-Engineer, LLC