When you’re trying to reach your goals, the most important element that determines whether you succeed or fail is your self-confidence.

Every worthwhile goal features hurdles and challenges along the way. Self-confidence is the tool that keeps you going in the right direction when the challenges come. Self-assurance helps you climb the mountains and jump the hurdles that stand in the way of the success you deserve.

Use these strategies to build the confidence to go after your dreams and encounter success:

Keep a record. Begin to keep a record of your successes, no matter how small. Write them in a notebook or journal. In the beginning, remember your successes of the past and write those down too. Whenever you begin to doubt yourself, look at your notebook and remind yourself of the times you’ve succeeded in the past.

• In another notebook or section, write down your strengths. If you can’t think of any, think about compliments you’ve received from others. As you go through each day, take note of your successes and strengths. Keep a record of your accomplishments that will fuel your success for the rest of your life.
  

Start with small goals. If you have trouble recalling your successes or noticing your strengths, set a few small goals that are fairly easy to attain. The point is to achieve success and to allow that success to fuel you for greater challenges and greater victories in your life.

•  When you achieve the small goals you’ve set for yourself, write them down in your notebook. As your confidence grows, your heart will long to shoot for bigger goals and greater challenges. Your record of success will keep you pushing forward when doubts begin to creep in.
  

Act as if you’re successful. A funny thing happens when you pretend you feel a certain emotion… you actually began to feel that emotion!

• Try it right now. Slouch your shoulders, lean forward, and put a frown on as if you’re absolutely exhausted. How do you feel? A little tired?
• Now smile and begin to move your body like you do when you’re excited. Feel the difference? To a large extent, you can control how you feel by the way you move your body. Pretend you’re confident. Talk with confidence and move your body with confidence. The feelings will follow shortly.

Visualize your future. Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years? What kind of job do you have? Do you own your own business? What is your ideal scenario regarding relationships? How much money do you make?

• Every day, close your eyes and take a few moments to run a mental movie about the future you’ve always dreamed about. Watch your success play out as if it’s happening in the present and allow yourself to experience all of the senses. What does the scene look like? Smell like? Taste like? Feel like? Sound like?

• Make your mental movie as vivid and detailed as possible for maximum effect. If you do this every day, your mind will begin to move you in the direction of your ideal future. You’ll begin to take actions that support your success and lead you down the path of your dreams.

Your confidence will grow naturally with each success you experience, whether the success is in the real world or in your mind. Instead of constantly reliving the mistakes you’ve made in the past, relive the glorious future you deserve time and time again to grow your confidence and coach yourself toward its attainment.