Confidence without competence is a dangerous combination. Make it easy for yourself and only engage in Self comparison when you are assessing your progress. By doing this you will make it easier to keep at it when the going gets tough and your competence will grow day by day.

1 Spend time each day with confident people.

Their energy and inner strength is so inspiring that you will find yourself feeling more empowered just by listening to them talk.

And you can get tips from them. All you need to do is ask! Even one good idea could point you in a whole new direction you would not have otherwise considered.

2 Find a mentor.

Nearly all successful people have a mentor. You too need someone who has already done what you are working to achieve who is willing to advise you.

This person will help you to succeed even more quickly than you can imagine. Remember, two minds are better than one.

When you have someone who believes in you and you have a plan you believe in -- your confidence will soar.

3 Understand that confidence is only a feeling.

Have you ever felt confident? If you have ever felt confident in any situation then you can feel confident again in the future.

How? By re-accessing that confident feeling. This is something that is worth doing every day. Spend 15 minutes a day reliving occasions in your life when you felt confident. Imagine it all in rich detail and pay very close attention to the feelings of confidence.

After only a few days, feeling confident will become a good habit.

4 List your reasons to be confident

Becoming aware of why you can be confident will help you get back on track. Make a list of at least 50 reasons why you can be confident today. Include previous successes, your skills and qualities, your support network and your goals. Put down everything that pops into your mind.

After you have done this you will have tapped into the power of consistency. You will be under pressure to be consistent with your own logic that stated you can be confident.

5 Make a public declaration

Tell someone whose opinion you value that you will be confident at a particular event. Your desire to impress this person will cause you to do all that you can to be at your very best.

And when you demand more of yourself you will be amazed at what you can do. You will start finding solutions to problems that left you stuck and you will seek advice from people who can help you.

6 Preparation makes perfect

Have you ever watched a top sportsperson in action and wondered to yourself at how easy she makes it look? Or listened to your favorite music CD and felt inspired by the talent of the singer?

Think. How did these superstars get to the top? Practice, practice and more practice. I read an article about Pavarotti, the opera singer, and he said he practices daily and he still learns something new about his voice each day!

When you spend more time honing your skills your confidence will soar because you will know with certainty that you can and will perform when the curtain goes up.

7 Self comparison is key

Compare your progress in life with your previous results. Look to the success of others to learn and not to measure your own success.

When you put your focus on the daily improvement of your own skills and abilities you can and will grow very quickly. And your confidence will surge.

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/report.htm