... You can have more confidence and power in dealing with people

Do you find it difficult to motivate yourself to do simple things? Do you find it difficult to build new meaningful relationships? Do you feel that real success is out of your reach - there's always something in the way blocking you?

…These are some of the less obvious symptoms of a lack of confidence.

And there are the more well know symptoms of poor self-confidence that you may be suffering from -  shyness, inability to speak up in public, continual self doubt and procrastination.

Just close your eyes for a moment and imagine what it would be like if you were confident. How much would it mean to you?

As Jack Walsh, one time CEO of General Electric once said "Confidence gives you courage and extends your reach. It lets you take greater risks and achieve far more than you ever thought possible".

Why is confidence so important?

Confidence is at the root of so much of your success in life, yet like so many people you may be struggling to find it.

According to Webster's dictionary Self-confidence is "Assurance, freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities"

Your self confidence affects everything you do - the decisions you make, the actions you take, your body language, the way other people respond to you and whether they take you seriously or not…

Self confident people find it much easier to achieve their goals in life and enjoy the success they want. If you lack self confidence, everything you want - relationships, financial success, success in your career and your community is so much harder to attain.

The good news is that you can build your confidence and overcome any of the problems you are facing due to a lack of confidence. All it takes is a bit of focussed effort and some time. To find some great ideas to boost your confidence, check out the rest of this lens.