by Jonathan Robinson: There are two primary ways to feel confidence. The first way is to become so good at a particular skill that you can’t help but feel confident.
For example, you probably feel confident while tying your shoes or driving a car. Yet, because you haven’t done much public speaking, you probably don’t feel confident talking to large groups of people. Of course, if you spend enough time practicing, you might feel self-assured speaking to groups, but even then there’s no guarantee. Besides, you may not have the time to get good at a skill before you’re faced with needing to use it. Is it possible to feel confident even when you’re a novice or new to a situation? Fortunately, the answer is yes. Confidence is a feeling you can learn to tap into whenever you desire simply by controlling what you think and how you use your body. Through the methods of Power Songs and Power Moves, you can learn to feel self-assured whenever you need to.
I used to be a very shy teenager. To overcome my nagging fear and self-doubt, I learned that I could sing certain songs in my head that would temporarily bolster my confidence. Before asking a woman out on a date, or presenting a talk in front of a group, I would silently sing the refrain from specific songs. I noticed that it took my mind off my fear, and instead made me feel the “energy” of the song that was “playing” in my head. For instance, if I was about to ask a woman out, I might hear the refrain, “She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah; she loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, she loves you—and you know that can’t be bad!” Imagining the Beatles in full stereophonic sound inside my head had the effect of making me feel I couldn’t lose.
Years later, I realized that I could add Power Moves to my songs, and the confidence- creating effect would be magnified. A Power Move is any way of walking, moving, or breathing that temporarily fills a person with a sense of energy and confidence. Remember the old Superman cartoons or TV show? Superman always moved in a manner that showed he was in charge. After some practice I realized that if I “pretended” I was Superman, and walked and moved like him, I began to feel unstoppable. Try it yourself. Sit up and breathe as if you were Superman, (or if you’re a woman, you might try Wonder Woman). Of course, you’re welcome to choose other super hero’s such as Hercules or Xena, the warrior princess. Put a look of determination on your face as if you were a hero who has come to save the day. Now try walking with big strides like a super hero. Doesn’t that feel powerful?
To experience the greatest effect from Power Songs and Moves, you need to come up with specific things that work for you. First, begin by thinking of a couple of songs that get you all fired up. All you need is a single line from a favorite rock song that’s easy to remember. I’ve encouraged many of my clients to use the refrain from the Beatles song, “Revolution,” where John Lennon screams, “Don’t you know it’s gonna be—all right!” Yet, the best song is one that feels good, fiery, and right for you. If you don’t care for rock music, you might try silently “humming” a snippet from a favorite classical song. I’ve known many people who have used the inspiring music from the movies Rocky or Star Wars to help them tune into a feeling of confidence and power.
Once you have the right song lined up, practice different ways of moving your body so that a feeling of energy is created. Besides Power-Walking, you can practice Power-Sitting by imagining how you’d feel if you were just told you won the lottery. Through trial and error I discovered that when I take a deep breath, make a fist out of my right hand, sit up straight, put a look of determination on my face, and sing a power song, I begin to feel like I can do anything. Even if I’m about to encounter an overwhelming situation, I can tap into the wellspring of power within simply by using these simple methods. In fact, you might try that for yourself right now. If you do, you’ll notice that in ten seconds, you’ll feel totally different.
A couple of years ago, I was scheduled to be on the CNN Show “Talk Back Live” for a lengthy interview. To help their guests feel more comfortable speaking in front of millions of people, the producers tell you days before the interview exactly what questions the host will ask you. Unfortunately, due to someone’s error, my interviewer didn’t receive the list of questions he was supposed to ask. Two minutes before I went on live to 180 countries, I was informed that we would both have to “wing it” for the full fifteen minute interview. I immediately felt a sense of panic. I remember feeling something that could only be translated as, “I want my mommy.” With the two minutes I had before air time, I began singing to myself and sitting up straight like a super hero. By the time the interview began, I was completely relaxed and confident, and the interview went extremely well.
Power Songs and Power Moves are amazing tools to have at your disposal. To get the most out of them, use them with intensity. Don’t just softly sing a song in your head—SCREAM IT silently to yourself like you’re imitating a famous rock star. Don’t simply walk or sit like you feel pretty good, move like you are completely UNSTOPPABLE! If you really allow yourself to let go and pretend, you’ll soon find that it no longer feels like an act. You will feel totally self-assured. You will be unstoppable. And when you overcome your fear and feel a sense of confidence, you can give your very best to whatever situation is at hand. Enjoy.
Jonathan Robinson has written several bestseller books including, “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Awakening Your Spirituality;” “The Experience of God,” “The Little Book of Big Questions;” and “Communication Miracles for Couples.” His latest book is called, “More Love, Less Conflict.” Jonathan also co-hosts the podcast “Awareness Explorers” with author Brian Tom O’Connor. This podcast focuses on revealing the easiest and most powerful practices for directly awakening to one’s true nature.
Through TV, live lectures and radio, Mr. Robinson has reached over 100 million people around the world. He is known for providing his audiences with immediately useful information presented in a fun and entertaining manner and he offers free audio downloads at his site FindingHappiness.com.
