The Science of Self Assurance: How To Be More Self Assured

Know what makes a person more self-assured than others and how you can develop confidence in yourself.

What is Self-Assurance?

Self-assurance is about self-confidence, understanding what you are capable of. It’s not a measure of your ability, but more of perceived confidence. This is highly reliant on how we evaluate ourselves, a factor that can be subjective and is dependent on our learned behavior.

Self-esteem plays a vital role in self-confidence. Our confidence level may go high and low and can be affected by external factors, especially by validation. When we receive praise about our physical attributes, or a job well done, our self-confidence tends to soar high. However, the self-assurance that comes from ourselves is more unwavering than the external validation we receive from others.

Why am I not self-assured?

Low self-assurance usually comes from a history of setbacks, avoided challenges, or too few chances to practice and succeed at something difficult, according to self-efficacy research by psychologist Albert Bandura. It is not a fixed trait. People build it the same way they lose it, through repeated experience.

The Science Behind Self-Assurance

You might have heard of the maxim, “Confidence is key.” as advice to almost anything—relationships, career, success, and quality of life. You may have also encountered people who get ahead of life because, apart from their perceived skills, they have the self-assurance to take on specific tasks and experience new things.

This is not a coincidence—society, in general, deems self-confidence as a valuable individual asset. According to a study, self-confidence is important because it improves a person’s motivation to commit to projects and carry on to pursue a goal. Self-confident people trust themselves while being aware of the setbacks and challenges that may test their motivations.

Confidence is a state of being. It is something that we can develop throughout life—factors such as psychological, environmental, and biological influence the changes that occur in the brain. We have absolute control to rewire our minds and make new habits, thanks to its ability to adapt, change, and learn new behavior.

What is the root cause of low self-esteem?

Low self-esteem does not usually trace to one single root cause. It is a relatively stable trait that tends to form early and carry forward for years, according to a longitudinal review of self-esteem research by psychologists Ulrich Orth and Richard Robins. That stability means low self-esteem has usually built up over time rather than started with one recent event.

Can low testosterone or another underlying health condition affect self-confidence, and should I get it checked?

Reduced self-confidence, along with reduced energy, motivation, and initiative, is listed as a nonspecific symptom of testosterone deficiency in the Endocrine Society’s clinical practice guideline on testosterone therapy. These symptoms overlap with ordinary low mood or stress, so they do not confirm low testosterone on their own. If confidence problems show up alongside fatigue, low libido, or other physical changes, a blood panel and a physician review can check for a hormone-related cause instead of guessing. See the signs of low testosterone to know what else to look for.

How to Develop Self-Assurance and Build Confidence

Start your way to a more confident version of yourself by following these simple guidelines: 

Visualize

It is a known fact that our thoughts influence our feelings. What we think has a significant impact on change in attitude. Picture yourself and the possible circumstances that may occur and mentally rehearse the words and actions that you are supposed to do or say. Try to engage all your senses as you do this to make the experience more realistic. Anticipate the possible interruptions that may occur and try to think of alternative solutions. Doing this may help you prepare for the upcoming situations and reduce your anxiety.

Fake it till You Make It

Feeling follows behavior.

The best way to build self-confidence is to act as if you already possess it. This is where visualization can be beneficial. By continually practicing and training your brain to be more confident, you will generate a more consistent outlook that results in a more positive attitude.

Find Your Personal Icon

Do you have someone whose confidence and success you greatly admire? This person may be someone you know personally, a celebrity, or a fictional character. List down all the positive qualities that you like most about them and channel those. Observe how this icon speaks in public, how he walks the room and takes on pursuits. You may even feel empowered as you consistently develop these positive attributes that make your “hero” confident.

Improve Your Posture

Stand tall. Chin up. Shoulders wide. Improving your posture not only gives an instant confidence boost but also makes you look more confident. This is supported by a 2009 study in the European Journal of Social Psychology, which found that an upright posture made people more confident in their own positive or negative thoughts about themselves, a self-validation effect. Physiologically, a proper posture gives you a proper balance and better breathing pattern that can consequently shift your mood.

Focus on Yourself and Your Goals

Putting your attention to yourself and your goals rather than the external factors, especially the ones that contribute to negative feelings, helps increase your motivation to accomplish what you want. When you focus on what inspires you, you can get less distracted and feel better about yourself.

Confidence is an attractive trait that everyone wants to attain. Remember that this is a process; you might feel on top of the world at one phase and then down on the other. Wherever you are in your self-confidence journey, trusting yourself and your abilities will take you far in life and may determine success in your career and relationships.

When does low self-confidence become a sign I should see a doctor rather than just trying self-help tips?

See a doctor rather than keep trying self-help tips once low confidence lasts most days for two weeks or longer. The same is true if it comes with low mood, poor sleep, or a loss of interest in things you used to enjoy. That two-week window is the same threshold clinicians use on standard depression screening tools like the PHQ-9. Confidence problems that get in the way of work, relationships, or daily routines are worth a doctor’s visit regardless of how long they have lasted.

See a therapist or counselor if low confidence is affecting your mood, relationships, or daily functioning most days. See a doctor first if it comes with physical symptoms like fatigue, low libido, or sleep changes, since a hormone imbalance or another medical condition can also lower confidence. An Opt Health physician reviews your labs and symptoms together during a consultation to help identify whether an underlying condition is contributing.