Being confident is really important in life. If you want a new job, if you want a raise, or even if you want to run your own business then you need to really believe in yourself. However, it is not something that comes naturally for some people. I would place myself in that category. As a result, I’m always looking for easy ways on how to be more confident.

As a quick side note, Green Swan wrote a great post about being more courageous in everyday life. I highly recommend readers check it out.

Harvey Specter: Man Of Confidence

I like to watch Suits (still a season or two behind) and I love one of the main characters, Harvey Specter (played by Gabriel Macht). The show is a legal drama, but that’s not what’s important. What’s important is that Harvey Specter oozes confidence like no other lawyer.

There’s just something about the way he dresses, the way he walks, and the way he talks that just beams with confidence. Everyone has their own style of showing confidence, but I love his.

He can bluff his way out of any situation or strong arm people to get his way. I guess he might be seen as a jerk in some situations, but his confidence never waivers.

Check out this mash up of his scenes in suits:

Given Harvey’s uber swag and smooth talking, I thought I would analyze a few factors that make him seem so confident.

Dressing Right And Feel Good

A lot of successful people dress impeccably like lawyers, bankers, executives, and many more. In fact, Mustard Seed Money wrote an awesome post about dressing for success. While there are a few outliers (Mark Cuban, Mark Zuckerberg, etc), the better you dress the more successful people will think you are.

Just rewatch that YouTube clip of Harvey. He looks pretty badass and confident/successful in that suit!

For a long time I wasn’t exactly very fashion conscious. Just simple jeans, shoes, t-shirt, and a hoodie did it for me. I guess that’s what happens when you have a very casual work environment (I wear a t-shirt and flip flops in every day)!

These days I rely on a good friend to help pick out clothes for me. I literally don’t buy anything without her approval (that’s how bad I am haha)! Sometimes I even give her a budget and let her go loose trying to find good clothes for me!

The bottom line is clothes/looks matter to a certain extent. You’re not going to get anywhere looking like a hobo. And as crazy as it sounds, the better you dress the more confident you’ll be in life. It’s definitely been something I’ve seen on myself.

If you’re wondering where to start out be sure to check out Well Built Style’s website. He has some great up-to-date tips on how to look great and increase you confidence.

Look Fit And Everything Else Will Fall In Line

Let’s face it, we all didn’t hit the genetic lottery like Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt or any of the Victoria’s Secret angels. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t improve other aspects of your bodies (no, I’m not talking about plastic surgery here).

Shaping your physical body to be leaner and fit can have a dramatic influence on how people view you. What if you were 10 or 15 pounds lighter and a little leaner? What if you had a little more muscle? You’d probably look more attractive and fit.

Just take a look at Harvey. He might work 90 hours a week, but he doesn’t look like a slouch! In fact, he even boxes!

Speaking from personal experience, knowing you’re more physically fit and attractive can be a big confidence boost. Assuming all else equal, most people would probably would probably look more favorably on someone who is more fit.

Start hitting the gym and get in shape and you’ll feel an immediate confidence boost in a few weeks. It certainty worked for me!

Accomplishing Little Things

Ever see how confident billionaires are? I mean why shouldn’t they be? They have built successful businesses with their own two hands. They achieved something only a small fraction of the world will ever experience.

What about Harvey? Well, if you’ve seen the show he pretty much wins every case he gets. In fact, they don’t call him “the closer” for no reason!

The point is, Harvey and other successful people are confident because they’ve accomplished something. I’ve learned that when you accomplish something, no matter how small, it adds to your self esteem. It could just be starting your blog or getting out of debt or even landing a promotion/raise.

Eventually success will be contagious and you’ll be able to walk into a room like you own it!

Instilling Confidence In Kids

Being a more confident adult is great and all, but let’s talk about nipping this in the bud with kids.

I think empowering kids early is a great way to get them ahead in life. I don’t have kids yet, but when I do I already have a few ideas on how to get them started.

First, I’d encourage them to do public speaking. Probably sign them up for a few classes or something like that. I’d also get them involved in some kind of performing arts role (like at a local play). That would be a great way to get them involved in public speaking and be comfortable.

When they’re a bit older, I’d encourage them to get a sales job (one based on commissions). Being good at sales is important in life.

Conclusion

Learning how to be more confident is not always easy, but it’s necessary to succeed in life. If you have low self esteem, it’ll be really hard to accomplish your goals (trust me, I’ve been there). The great thing is, there are very easy and tangible ways to improve your confidence within a few weeks. As they say, the greatest investment you can make is with yourself!

Readers, what other tips/tricks have you used to boost your confidence? I’d love to hear them! Also…any readers big Suits fans? Let me know in the comments 🙂