Confidence in Just 7 days?

Many years ago the BBC ran a series of programmes with an accompanying book called Confidence in Just Seven Days. I bought the book and tried many of the techniques which were highlighted (more of which later.)

The premise was that by implementing the techniques and strategies readers could fix their confidence issues in a week.

I naively believed this could work for me but after an initial boost I reverted back to being my usual reticent self.

This was in keeping with my view as I was growing up that one day I would magically become endowed with the confidence I required overnight but my significant birthdays like 18 and 21 as well as other life events passed, predictably  without any change to my mindset.  

So what is to be learned?

Building confidence is a long term project and although it is impossible to change behaviour and implement new strategies in a week, you have to show perseverance and grit over the long term to embed them fully. 

Secondly, if a problem like a shortage of confidence was resolved in a matter of a few days, then everyone would do it. And if something is easy to achieve, is it really worthwhile and lifechanging?

Becoming more confident, and I'm not even halfway there yet and I'm in my mid forties, is a long term project with significant ups and downs along the way.

The realisation which altered my thinking was reading in one of the many self help books I have read (more of that later as well) that confidence can be thought of as a skill which has to be practiced.

If we want to become improve any skill we must engage in purposeful practice over the long term. Many authors including Matthew Syed and Daniel Coyle point to the 10,000 hour rule. Have any of us actually practiced being confident for that period of time?

There are no quick fixes, just a long term plan but I think that makes it more interesting and rewarding.  

Cheers