Being able to put yourself out there isn't just for the fearless and extroverted—it's for everybody. Learning to put yourself out there is a skill, not an innate trait, and it can be developed.

Whether it's in your personal life, a romantic relationship, or your professional career, putting yourself out there—courage—is a crucial key for growth and success. This article will explore strategies and tips for building your courage.

If you have confidence issues, seeking help from a counselor or psychologist may be helpful. A mental health professional who has completed an msw degree online or related qualification can provide support and strategies.

What is courage & confidence?

Courage in the context of mental health and as a skill can be defined as the ability to face and confront difficult emotions, experiences, or situations related to one's mental well-being. True courage is about being ‘terrified beyond belief, but stepping into the sun anyway'.

Confidence goes hand-in-hand with courage, with both being key factors for facilitating personal development and growth. Confidence refers to a person's belief in oneself. Like courage, it is not an innate trait and is an ability that can be learned.

The importance of both skills

Personal and professional growth often requires being able to step out of your comfort zone to pursue opportunities. In many cases, this also requires stepping into unfamiliar territory, which is where courage comes in.

Courage provides the ‘strength' to confront these challenges head-on, even if it's anxiety-inducing or stressful. This skill is also important for building emotional resilience and learning from mistakes.

When it comes to confidence, the two skills share a nuanced relationship that builds each other up. It's a cycle where confidence can help you take courageous steps, and successful steps stemming from courage can help develop your confidence.

Confidence is also a major factor in overall success. When you're confident, it helps you feel more ready for new experiences and try new things—to be courageous. According to a self-esteem study, confident people tend to earn more.

Confidence also plays a crucial role in overall well-being. Research has shown that living with low self-esteem and confidence can harm physical and mental health and increase the risk of developing conditions like anxiety and depression.

How to improve confidence & courage

When it comes to growing your confidence and developing courage, the best thing you can do is talk to a mental health professional. They can help you find what's causing your lack of courage (or confidence) and help develop strategies personalized for you.

In the case that you aren't able to see a mental health professional or just want strategies you can practise at home, we've outlined a few tips below. Following these tips can help build your confidence and courage.

Connect with yourself

Self-awareness and learning how to connect yourself are just some of the ways you can improve your confidence and courage. By understanding your limitations and fears, you can identify areas for improvement and further plan strategies.

By recognizing the areas where you lack courage and confidence, you can try to come up with solutions to put yourself out there. It's also a great opportunity to ask yourself questions like: ‘Why does it scare you and why?' ‘What's holding you back?'

Set clear & measurable goals

When it comes to learning and growing any skill, setting clear and realistic goals that you can track is crucial. Don't set yourself up for failure by setting vague goals that are hard to reach or define. 

Instead, you want to set clear, measurable, and achievable goals that slowly push you outside of your comfort zone. You want to start small, in incremental steps, that slowly get bigger and more grand.

Building resilience

Being able to build resilience and ‘bounce back' is another skill that ties into courage and confidence. If you want to build up both, you'll need resilience to stay persistent, even in the face of adversity.

In mental health, resilience is described as the ability to cope with stress and difficult experiences, like traumatic events. It can be built through fostering wellness, like taking care of your body, practising mindfulness, and prioritizing your mental health.

Be patient and understanding

When it comes to courage and confidence, it's essential to remember—like all skills—they won't magically appear overnight. It takes time to learn and develop both skills, so don't be too harsh on yourself.

A major part of building courage and confidence is persistence and learning from your failures. So, this means there will be times when things don't go as planned. Instead of beating yourself, staying engaged and learning from them is the key.