SELF-CONFIDENCE

Summary

In this candid video, the speaker, a figure skating enthusiast, addresses the importance of self-confidence in achieving personal goals. Initially hesitant to face the camera due to self-doubt, they share insights on the balance between humility and arrogance, emphasizing the need for a realistic approach to self-assessment. The speaker discusses the role of posture, positive thinking, and gradual skill development in building self-confidence, ultimately encouraging viewers to embrace their abilities and strive for continuous improvement.

Takeaways

• 🎯 The speaker's expertise is in figure skating and they have been sharing related videos, with some exceptions.
• 🤔 The speaker admits to procrastinating due to a lack of self-confidence, especially for speaking on camera for the first time.
• 💡 The main topic of the video is self-confidence and its importance in achieving goals in life.
• 🤷‍♀️ Self-confidence is not a simple on-off switch; it's a balance between humility and arrogance.
• 🧘‍♂️ Good posture is linked to self-confidence and can be improved through awareness and practice.
• 🤸‍♀️ The speaker suggests that self-confidence can be built by setting realistic expectations and making steady progress.
• 🏆 Success in figure skating and other areas can boost self-confidence, but it's important to manage it to avoid conceit.
• 🧠 Positive thinking involves focusing on achievements and progress, rather than solely on failures or difficulties.
• 🚀 Building self-confidence is a gradual process that requires time, practice, and a logical approach to learning and improvement.
• 🔄 Self-confidence feeds on itself; success in tasks can lead to increased confidence, which in turn leads to better performance.
• 👋 The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of self-confidence for personal and societal betterment.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the video script?

The main topic discussed in the video script is self-confidence and its importance in achieving personal goals, particularly in the context of figure skating.

Why did the speaker procrastinate on making the video?

The speaker procrastinated on making the video due to a lack of self-confidence, feeling self-conscious about being on camera for the first time and not being sure if they were doing it right.

How does the speaker describe their studio setup?

The speaker describes their studio as a modest setup, which is actually a kitchen, bedroom, and storage facility combined, with a screen on the back to minimize distractions.

What is the speaker's field of expertise mentioned in the script?

The speaker's field of expertise is figure skating, as they have been sharing figure skating oriented videos.

What is the relationship between self-confidence and nervousness before a competition according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests that if one's self-confidence is higher, they might be less nervous before a competition, implying a correlation between increased self-confidence and reduced anxiety.

What does the speaker believe is the key to achieving good posture?

The speaker believes that achieving good posture involves finding a balance between humility and arrogance, maintaining an ideal posture that is neither too humble nor too arrogant.

How does the speaker relate posture to self-confidence?

The speaker relates posture to self-confidence by stating that good posture can not only make a person look more presentable and beautiful but also indirectly improve biomechanics and performance, thereby boosting self-confidence.

What is the speaker's view on setting goals for self-improvement?

The speaker does not personally set goals but acknowledges that many people find it motivational. They prefer to make steady progress without setting specific goals.

What does the speaker suggest as a method to build self-confidence?

The speaker suggests that building self-confidence is a matter of time and thinking well during that time, including practicing skills, setting realistic expectations, and positive thinking.

How does the speaker define positive thinking in the context of self-confidence?

The speaker defines positive thinking as the ability to recognize and appreciate progress made, even when faced with difficulties or failures, focusing on achievements rather than setbacks.

What is the final message the speaker conveys about self-confidence?

The final message the speaker conveys is that self-confidence is a human need and part of one's human makeup, essential for achieving goals and contributing positively to society.

Outlines

00:00

🎿 Overcoming Self-Doubt in Figure Skating

The speaker, a figure skating expert, admits to procrastinating on making a video due to a lack of self-confidence. They share their thoughts on self-confidence, its importance in achieving goals, and how it's not just a simple switch that can be turned on. The speaker also discusses the balance needed between humility and arrogance, and how self-confidence can affect nervousness before a competition. They share an anecdote about a young skater who identified self-confidence as her weakness, emphasizing its relevance beyond physical skills.

05:00

🧍‍♂️ The Role of Posture in Self-Confidence

This paragraph delves into the connection between posture and self-confidence. The speaker suggests that good posture can enhance self-confidence and is essential for figure skaters to project an image of beauty and competence. They provide tips on maintaining an ideal posture, such as not being too humble or arrogant, and the importance of eye contact and shoulder positioning. The speaker also touches on the functional benefits of good posture for biomechanics and the indirect impact on self-confidence through improved aesthetics.

10:01

🎯 The Importance of Realistic Expectations and Goals

The speaker discusses the significance of setting realistic expectations and goals to build self-confidence. They admit to not being a goal-setter themselves but recognize the value of this approach for others. The speaker emphasizes the importance of making steady progress and learning from one's achievements, rather than focusing solely on failures. They also caution against excessive self-confidence, which can lead to arrogance and hinder the ability to learn from mistakes.

15:03

🤔 Positive Thinking and Self-Confidence

In this paragraph, the speaker explores the concept of positive thinking and its impact on self-confidence. They define positive thinking as focusing on progress and achievements, even when faced with setbacks. The speaker encourages viewers to appreciate their improvements and to maintain a positive outlook, which can help in building and maintaining self-confidence. They also stress the importance of time and thoughtful practice in developing skills and self-assurance.

20:05

🔁 The Cycle of Self-Confidence and Skill Improvement

The final paragraph focuses on the cyclical nature of self-confidence and skill development. The speaker explains that as one's skills improve, so does their self-confidence, which in turn further improves their skills. They discuss the importance of logical thinking, clear direction, and understanding one's sport to build self-confidence. The speaker concludes by reflecting on their own journey of overcoming self-doubt to create the video and emphasizes the universal need for self-confidence in personal and societal growth.

Keywords

💡Self-confidence

Self-confidence refers to one's belief in their abilities and worth. In the video, it is the central theme, with the speaker discussing its importance in achieving goals, especially in figure skating. The speaker uses their own experience of being in front of the camera to illustrate the impact of self-confidence on performance and how it can be built over time through practice and setting realistic expectations.

💡Procrastination

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks. The speaker admits to procrastinating on making the video due to a lack of self-confidence, which is a direct example of how self-doubt can hinder progress. This term is used to highlight the internal struggle that one might face when attempting something new or challenging.

💡Figure Skating

Figure skating is a sport that combines athleticism with artistry on ice. It is the speaker's field of expertise and serves as a backdrop for discussing self-confidence. The script mentions specific figure skating elements like jumps, spins, and the importance of posture, illustrating how self-confidence plays a role in the execution and performance of these skills.

💡Posture

Posture refers to the position or carriage of the body, which can reflect confidence and self-assuredness. The speaker discusses the importance of good posture in both aesthetics and biomechanics for figure skaters, and how it can be a visible sign of self-confidence. The script provides examples of ideal and poor posture and how to correct it.

💡Biomechanics

Biomechanics is the study of the mechanical laws relating to the movement or structure of living organisms. In the context of the video, the speaker relates biomechanics to the importance of good posture in figure skating, explaining how it can lead to better performance and is indirectly linked to self-confidence through improved physical ability.

💡Aesthetics

Aesthetics pertains to the appreciation of beauty or good taste. The speaker mentions aesthetics in relation to figure skating, emphasizing that good posture not only improves performance but also contributes to the visual appeal of the skater, which is a part of self-confidence as it can attract admiration and respect from others.

💡Goals

Goals are the objects of aim or desired ends. The speaker touches on the topic of goal-setting as a method some people use to motivate themselves, although they personally prefer steady progress over setting specific goals. The script uses this concept to explore different approaches to building self-confidence and achieving success.

💡Positive Thinking

Positive thinking involves maintaining a constructive and optimistic outlook. The speaker describes positive thinking as a way to focus on achievements rather than failures, using a personal example of a figure skating session to illustrate how acknowledging progress can boost self-confidence, even when faced with challenges.

💡Failure

Failure refers to the lack of success in a particular endeavor. In the script, the speaker discusses the impact of failure on self-confidence and suggests that building skills gradually can mitigate the severity of failures. The term is used to highlight the importance of learning from mistakes and maintaining a positive attitude in the face of setbacks.

💡Incremental Improvement

Incremental improvement means making small, gradual advancements over time. The speaker advocates for being satisfied with incremental progress as a way to build self-confidence. The script emphasizes the value of consistent, small improvements in developing skills and abilities, which in turn fosters a stronger sense of self-confidence.

💡Practice

Practice is the action of performing an activity repeatedly to improve or maintain one's skill. The speaker discusses the role of practice in building self-confidence, stating that it is not just the time spent practicing but how one thinks and applies themselves during that time that is crucial. The script uses the concept of practice to underline the importance of deliberate and thoughtful engagement in skill development.

Highlights

The speaker discusses overcoming self-confidence issues when facing the camera for the first time.

The importance of self-confidence in achieving goals and its impact on nervousness before a competition.

Self-confidence is conceptualized as a balance between humility and conceit, rather than a simple on-off switch.

Anecdote about a young skater identifying self-confidence as her weakness, highlighting its relevance in sports.

The role of posture in conveying self-confidence and its importance in figure skating and general presence.

The speaker's personal struggle with setting goals and the preference for steady progress over goal-setting.

The idea that excessive self-confidence can hinder learning and the importance of maintaining a balanced mindset.

The concept of 'diffident' as a descriptor for those lacking self-confidence and its implications.

The speaker's advice on maintaining good posture to improve biomechanics and aesthetics in figure skating.

The impact of technology and device usage on posture and the speaker's tips for improvement.

The relationship between setting realistic expectations and building self-confidence through gradual progress.

The speaker's perspective on positive thinking as a method to enhance self-confidence, focusing on achievements rather than failures.

The necessity of time and thoughtful practice for building self-confidence in any skill or sport.

The cyclical nature of self-confidence, where success breeds more confidence, which in turn leads to further success.

The speaker's reflection on the process of recording the video and the growth in self-confidence it represents.

The final thoughts on self-confidence as a fundamental human need and its role in personal and societal betterment.

Transcripts

I've been thinking about doing this sort

of thing for a while but what my actual

field of expertise is if I have one is

is figure skating right so I've been uh

sharing many many sort of more directly

figure skating oriented videos with you

with a few exceptions now uh we come

into the

Studio it's a pretty modest little

Studio I mean I've got this screen on

the back just to get away from all

distractions it's not a studio at all

actually it's it's a kitchen SL bedroom

SL storage

facility

slash

studio and so I can share some thoughts

with you out there about what I what I

was procrastinating about for actually

several weeks I have to admit and

confess right off the start uh I was

procrastinating cuz I don't I don't

think I had the self-confidence to just

like okay this is my first time in front

of the camera and I'm looking at myself

speaking instead of looking into the

camera for example I notice and so oh go

God now I feel self-conscious I'm not

doing this right it's my first time uh

my confidence level is not really up

there but I thought I'd take a step dab

at it push the button set the thing up

get everything

connected and be ready to speak to you

about something that I think is an

important issue for for who for

whom well for everybody who who wants to

achieve something in life basically uh

and tell me if I'm right about this but

the issue is

self-confidence and that's what I would

like to get you thinking about uh

through watching this video because I'm

going to share with you many of the

thoughts that I've had on the subject

and I did conceive of this idea I don't

remember how but subsequent to starting

to JW down a few points and get my

thoughts organized for you I uh asked a

young skater what her weakness was just

expecting her to maybe say oh well you

know I under rotate a lot of my jumps or

or like uh something specific or oh my

spins travel whatever uh that's my

weakness or I don't jump very high or

something but she said her her weakness

actually turned out to be something more

conceptual which was like for me oh wow

okay a thinking

skater uh her her weakness she she said

was self-confidence and self-confidence

is important in anything you do uh can I

say that and have unanimous agreement

well it's it's a gray area isn't it

because self-confidence is not just sort

of the type of thing that oh yes I

decide I want to have self-confidence so

I can okay I'm going to be

self-confident it doesn't work that way

there's no switch for

self-confidence for

self-esteem what's kind of synonyms just

to what am I talk am I just throwing out

some words there that I Buzz words that

are we know oh yeah that's a virtue

having

self-confidence now what do we mean by

self-confidence well you know like it

manifests

itself uh tell tell me if if there's a

correlation here you're preparing for a

competition maybe you're it's the day of

the competition but this this this

feeling you have is kind of building up

and it's time to go out and compete very

very soon and you're

nervous and is that

like if your self-confidence was higher

would you be less nervous I'm saying

probably so I I'm thinking

self-confidence is is quite good now

self-confidence can Redline I don't

believe and and check me in the comments

if you have another opinion but I don't

think self-confidence is something that

we want to uh strive for some

maximization of I think self-confidence

is a is is is a matter of finding a

balance a balance between uh too much

you know humility and I'm and and self

denial and shyness on the one hand and

uh too much uh conceit and arrogance on

the other so we want to find that happy

median with our self-confidence we want

with our self-confidence we want to uh

uh be able to go out and perform well

which

requires I believe through my vast

experience it really helps if you have

self-confidence and so how can we get

self-confidence is a matter that I think

is of critical importance and that's why

I'm Del delving into it right now and

probably if I had more self-confidence I

wouldn't be chattering off in different

directions right now I would be getting

to the point but I've already made a few

um important insights into the issue and

when I use this metaphor of uh your

mental

self-confidence as if your

self-confidence is is is Not So High um

you're you're you're

diffident look up this word

diffident it's different than the word

different it's

diffident if you're diffident Dent that

means kind of that you don't have a lot

of self-confidence you're not too sure

about whether you can pull off what what

you want to try to

achieve so uh yeah this this metaphor

that I used about body position this is

also a something a sign of

self-confidence am I right uh what your

posture is so right now I'm trying to

achieve as I sit before you I'm trying

to achieve my very best double tasking

actually or maybe multitasking whatever

at least double tasking I'm trying to

get my posture to be ideal for you so

that I'm a thing of

beauty or at least moving in that

direction as much as I can uh I'm at

least trying to trying to make the most

of my what I have by sitting with what I

consider to be ideal posture and ideal

posture is okay not too humble and not

too too arrogant so finding that balance

looking straight ahead into the eyes and

are you coming from like you can look

into somebody's eyes this

way or this way and but you want to look

maybe right out of the middle of your

eyes at somebody somebody else at at

your level and and maybe if you've got

an audience That's goes up a little

higher maybe you raise your focus a

little bit to you know or move it around

uh that tilt uh uh we don't want to be

too much this way as we go around

through in our lives and we don't want

to be the opposite either you

know and so also the shoulders now of

course I've already showed this uh we

don't want to be too far forward or too

far backward we want to find that it's a

fairly wide I think happy medium between

the two sitting there this would be too

much arch in the upper upper back and

this would be

rounded shoulders the other

way nice exercise to do by the way

stretching and rounding those shoulders

as much as possible just ases an

exercise but just ases good posture

which of course isn't very important for

directly important for us as figure

skaters because we do want to look

beautiful when we skate and part of our

beauty is not just our skating dress or

how we did our hair or polished our

skates or maybe did a lovely some kind

of beautiful spiral or or quadruple jump

that's nicely flowed and landing and

very impressive and wow um we also can

look beautiful through our posture and

it's not it then there's indirectly if

you're posture is good you then start to

be able to have better biomechanics and

do things better so good posture is a

matter not only of Aesthetics but also

of function

so yeah so we try to achieve good

posture we try to identify what our

postural weaknesses or deficits or

problems

are um there's some postural problems

that we can fix through um you know just

mentally thinking about being in a

better postural position and there's

other uh methods of correcting and

improving our posture uh and we want to

seek those out uh for everybody

not just for figure skaters for

everybody doesn't matter you just look

so much more presentable and you look

just people are going

to uh help bestow self-confidence on you

because they're going to look at you and

give you a second look and gravitate

towards you if you carry yourself nicely

I don't have a doctor doctorate uh

degree in this uh uh in giving you my

this particular opinion but it's sort of

a common sense thing isn't it so we want

to try to um you know when I'm walking

or standing a lot of the time like

sometimes I just relax and don't think

about it um you know we do spend too

much time on our devices and that helps

bring our head forward which is not such

a good thing I mean yeah we want to have

that type of Mobility but we don't want

to be uh sort of like chronically in

some kind of position like this so most

most of us just as a tip for most of us

we can bring our heads back and bringing

the head back doesn't

mean tilting it back it means bringing

it back kind of

like straight back type of

idea not too far there's a happy medium

in there somewhere find it and if if you

put your back against a wall or if

you're driving and put your head against

the headrest maybe that's better posture

than what you already notice catch

yourself

having standing around walking driving

whatever okay so that's part of the

self-confidence game and this is

something you can do it's it is kind of

like a switch you can turn on oh oh

posture oh yeah I'm thinking about my

posture and you can within a few seconds

you can be have very nice posture if you

understand what good posture is and if

you have the uh you know the awareness

and the to and propri exception or

whatever whatever it takes to get

yourself in a good postural position

this alone can help bolster

your

self-confidence

now uh what do you think about your

goals your dreams your

aspirations

your what you expect out of yourself as

far as um a lot of people set goals

and and

either and many people are very

successful do setting goals too uh I

don't happen to be a goal Setter and I

don't criticize those who are goal

Setters and and certainly because many

people motivate them that themselves

that way I just try to make

steady advance and progress no matter

what the circumstances are you know I

just have a sense of what the priority

skating well is in my life and and it's

pretty high cuz that this is where I get

a lot of my self-confidence from is

going into an ice Rank and and and

looking like uh you know a really big

man in the ice rank cuz I I can get

around the ice rank pretty good on my

feet and with with skills uh people tend

to notice me at a nice rink and people

uh I can feel the admiration and the

respect it's yeah it's it's it's Can it

can have the effect of making the head a

little too big and heavy so you got to

be careful when you get too much

admiration uh and you got to worry about

the sacred monster phenomenon too when

it comes to self-confidence this is sort

of a related matter to

self-confidence you know if if we have a

red line of self-confidence and and and

it it just it zooms up into the conceit

or the

arrogance uh

zone or the solipsism zone no no that's

something different but you know if you

become too much of an

egotist uh red lining on your uh

self-confidence well you're not going to

you're not going to be in a in a good uh

frame of mind to learn you're not going

to be in a good frame of mind when you

have excessive self-confidence and you

go blustering around and you think

you're all that you're not going to have

the potential to learn uh either from

yourself or from others you're just not

going to be

um you're going to think of yourself

maybe if you think of yourself kind of

as Godly or as some special person and

apart from what you have done to achieve

where you're at uh that that that can be

a little bit of a problem that can be

too much self-confidence and uh so

getting in the way of your ability to

learn so yeah we want to have pretty

maximum self-confidence though and it's

going to help get rid of the Jitters if

we have a but but we can't there's no

switch for it so so we've got to

practice it we've got to think about it

we got to practice it and and actually

you don't even need to think about it or

practice it you just need to get good at

what you're you're doing and set realis

istic expectations and you will have

self-confidence simple as that I

believe yeah I think this is a big thing

about uh knowing yourself you have to

set realistic

expectations and if you don't don't have

that ability to set realistic

expectations uh you might have a really

bad failure and get some

Stark wakeup

call uh you know but when you can bring

your your expectations in line with what

still helps you uh progress optimally

because yeah we want to set our

sights uh in the direction of progress

but we we don't want to think that we're

better than what we are and have some

expectation that's going to get

dashed CU that's going to break our

self-confidence

failure yeah okay it's good for you and

learning from your mistakes and blah

blah blah but it does give you a jolt to

your self-confidence when you have a

failure and you can reduce the severity

of your failures by uh you know building

a strong Foundation uh building your

skills gradually so you so you don't

have fears so it's it's safe what you're

doing and so you don't get frustrated

trying to take a particular leap when

you when you're just learned how to

crawl and you can't even run

yet that that leap is not going to turn

out well so learning things sequentially

and gradually I think is quite important

coaches parents skaters business people

blah blah blah for building yourself

confidence improve in increments be

satisfied with Improvement in

increments and be satisfied with uh what

you're achieving through your efforts so

uh positive

thinking positive thinking can help with

your self-confidence right but what do

we mean by positive thinking I don't

know what

you what you consider to be positive

thinking but here's an example of

positive thinking the way I would

describe and the way I would use it in

in a very beneficial way uh you know

like okay we I came to the ice rank I

laced upop I warmed up I went out and

practiced for 45 minutes I tried to get

better at this and that I wanted to do

this and that and I fell a lot actually

I hurt myself and okay the session's

over you know this is this is this is

not thinking positively you

[Music]

know yeah okay you want to take take

your your Endeavor seriously so that it

does affect you if you don't have

success but thinking positively would be

able would be being able

to consider the things that you did that

you that that that you made progress on

whether it's an Insight something that

you achieved some okay yeah I had

trouble with my triple flip today I

couldn't land it um you know no matter

what I did and it started getting

painful and blah blah blah and I was so

embarrassed

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

blah but don't you remember that you did

a really beautiful camel spin like like

you skated into it with really good

speed with nice control and you hit that

Camel spin you centered it immediately

when you first got into the spin don't

don't you remember doing that and it's

like it's the best spin I've seen you do

frankly honestly and don't you remember

that isn't your thinking positively

about remembering those sorts of things

I mean it's not like we want to ignore

problems we had and try to find

solutions for them but you want to

congratulate yourself for something even

even if it's just for showing up after

uh you know difficult circumstances to

try to get to the ice rank or the

driving range or whatever it was the

yoga

studio um the office yeah well I think

it is just uh a matter of spending time

to build to build confidence

it's it is related to

time and it's not just directly related

to time because it's it's how you use

your brain in that time that's really

the important thing uh you know for

building skills like sports skills like

infigure skating for building uh you

know the ability to do some difficult

jumps and Spins and have the stamina to

put it all together and be Musical and a

performance and present to people who

are watching and and bringing all of

that together that's that's that's

pretty difficult you know that's that's

that's a challenge and you can really

make it as challenging as you want

to but uh yeah building the confidence

is just a matter of time and thinking

well in that time so you by by by me

saying you can't flick a switch of

self-confidence that's partly what it is

it's an investment it's something that

you have to nurture and it's something

that you have to understand is it's

maybe more a result it's not something

that you directly can build it's it's

just the result of good practice it's a

result of practicing well keeping

yourself in good shape thinking

logically and clearly remembering from

one day to the next what what direction

you're moving in what your problems are

you want to address

uh you know and and many of these other

kind of thoughts that we want to have to

achieve something at a high level um we

we've got to have the confidence the

self-confidence to be able to think

clearly and not be frantic or too

emotional

or uh you know in a panicky state or

glassed over we want to have presence of

mind to be able to function and Achieve

things and if we do then we build

self-confidence coming closer to the

truth analyzing cause and effect and

really understanding your sport well and

being able to

troubleshoot well as you're

practicing that's something that's going

to build your self-confidence because uh

by building your Technique and therefore

your

consistency you build your

self-confidence obviously right if you

if you typically go out and do

n out of 10 of your triple sou cows

you're going to be quite confident about

it right you're going to be able to

skate right into it without any fear and

and it's it's going to get better and

self-confidence feeds on itself doesn't

it because if you have the

self-confidence to do things well then

doing those things well helps build your

self-confidence uh it's a

cycle right and uh yeah I don't know if

there's anything else that I really uh

need to say about self-confidence I've

already presented many ideas and I felt

I keep kept the flowing the flow going

yeah I stuttered a few times like I did

just there and I forgot about my posture

a few times uh but um overall I thought

I delivered you know some useful

information I collected my thoughts and

I spoke not too badly in my opinion when

I look at the video later I'll have to

be be be a better judge of that so the

the dividence the lack of

self-confidence that I had that made me

procrastinate in doing this video was

kind of like I don't know maybe I needed

all that time or maybe I needed to get

over it but I'm kind of glad that I got

the equipment out and pushed the button

and shared these thoughts with you

because uh it's important for all of us

to uh be to have uh self-confidence and

um to achieve whatever we want to have

do it's self-esteem self-confidence it's

it's it's it's a

human need it's a it's part of your

human makeup it's you know having a

sense of self and being aware and using

the gifts that you have to be able to do

things and help to make uh your life and

uh Society at

large a better place bye for now

he he

[Music]