How can I succeed at something I haven't done before?
Do you feel more confident when you do something completely new, or when you do something you know you can do easily?
Does that feeling of confidence affect your behaviour and performance?
If you are very clear about your objectives then you will find youself being more confident, more fluent and simply more successful. Here's a simple formula, in the context of a job interview:
Remember several times, whilst you have been doing your job, that represent skills or abilities you really value.
Really allow yourself to daydream into the memories. See everything that you saw, hear everything that you heard and feel everything that you felt - both touch and emotions. Take a good few minutes to remember the whole event in as much detail as you can.
Now you have a few clear examples to use in the interview.
Next, do the same again but this time daydream into the future. Think about how the room will look, the people, the sound of your voice, see yourself from the interviewer's chair. Notice how confident you look and sound. Take as long as you need to fully imagine the interview. Hear yourself describing the examples and how they demonstrate your abilities. Feel the chair, the table, the temperature of the room. Notice how it all makes you feel.
Repeat this a couple of times so that it becomes more "real". That's all there is to it!
Does this work? Definitely, yes!! Do you want to just believe that, or
would you like a scientific explanation?
How do you know the difference between something real and something you've imagined? Have you ever woken from a vivid dream and been unsure, for a moment, if the dream was real?
Your brain handles memories in exactly the same way as external events, so you see, hear, feel, smell and taste both your memories and your current external experience. You use your same sensory systems to process all inputs to your brain, so your memories are both based upon and represented by those senses.
So, if you 'remember' the future in a particular way (using all of your senses, not just your favourite) then it becomes as real an experience for you to draw upon as something which has actually happened. Sports coaches use this method extensively.
Lastly, have a really clear idea of what you expect from the job and why you want it. Think about this and write down just 2 or 3 reasons. Then, in a day or two's time, have a look again and decide if they still make sense to you. Refine them if you need to and then write them down again.
Why? When you are very clear about your outcomes, you will achieve them more easily. Your brain will find new opportunities for you to achieve your outcomes and you will be surprised at the difference this makes. Just thinking carefully about what you want makes it much easier to achieve.
Remember that the most important thing is this: When you're clear on your outcome, TAKE ACTION!
Don't just sit there and plan. Do something - anything! Then, take time to notice whether you're closer to your goal or not. Then keep going until you have reached your goal.
After all, there's not much point in preparing for success unless you're also prepared to be successful!
© Communications In Action 2003
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