Here’s a gem passed along by the announcers as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings competed in their Olympic beach volleyball playoff against the Italians: “Confidence is a little voice that says, “you belong.” (Sports psychologist, Dr. Michael Gervais)
You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to benefit from that piece of wisdom.
You’re the one who gets to program that little voice. Your choice. An objective assessment of any given situation – speech, networking, job interview, etc. – can help you reach that conclusion: You belong. It’s the counterproductive “noise” voice that gets in the way.
When you know you belong, you can trust your instincts and do or say the right thing–or keep your mouth shut.
Cultivate the “little voice” and just say, “no” to the noise.
Getting Over Yourself 