Let’s talk about confidence — not the loud, showy kind, but the kind that lives quietly inside you. The kind that allows you to walk into a room, own your ideas, and lead with calm, grounded clarity.
Confidence isn’t about being the most outgoing person or having all the answers. It’s about trusting yourself. Trusting your perspective, your voice, your abilities. And the truth is — it’s hard to feel confident when you don’t fully understand or value what makes you uniquely powerful.
That’s exactly where Morgan found herself. She’s the founder of a small production company — brilliant, talented, full of vision. But when it came to pitching projects, managing teams, or putting herself forward for new partnerships, she hesitated. Not because she wasn’t capable, but because she didn’t always believe she had what it took.
During coaching, we uncovered what was missing: she hadn’t connected to her core strengths in a meaningful way. She knew she was competent, but she didn’t yet own what made her stand out. Once she began identifying, using, and aligning her work with her strengths, her confidence grew — naturally and steadily.
Here’s why it works — and how you can do the same.
Why Strengths Build Confidence: A Quick Glimpse into Your Brain
When you use your core strengths, your brain releases dopamine — a “feel good” neurotransmitter that reinforces motivation, focus, and resilience. The more often you operate in your zone of strength, the more your brain associates you with competence, progress, and success.
This neural reinforcement shifts your mindset. You move from: “I hope I can do this” → “I’ve done this before — I know I’ve got it.” From: “What if I’m not good enough?” → “This is where I thrive.”
Now let’s get practical. Here are three strategies to help you build confidence by tapping into your strengths.
Use Strengths Assessments to Clearly Identify What Sets You Apart
Morgan’s Challenge: Morgan had a general idea of her skills, but when it came time to articulate what truly made her stand out, she stumbled. Her strengths felt vague — hard to define and even harder to apply in a powerful, intentional way.
Why This Strategy Works: When you try to guess your strengths, you miss the deeper layers of what actually makes you unique. Strengths assessments give you language, clarity, and insight — the kind that allows you to confidently own your value in any room.
How You Can Apply It:
✓ Use my reliable strengths assessment, Hello Inner Genius Strengths assessment, to discover your most natural and powerful strengths — not just traits, but how they show up in your work.
✓ Reflect on the results: Where am I using these? Where am I not?
✓ Choose one strength you want to lean into more fully this week — and track how it affects your energy, focus, and confidence.
Example: Morgan completed a strengths assessment and realized that her true genius wasn’t just “creativity.” It was strategic storytelling — the ability to emotionally connect a narrative to a larger vision. Once she had the language for it, she began framing her pitches and leadership style around that strength — and her confidence skyrocketed.
Apply Your Strengths Daily, Not Just During Big Moments
Morgan’s Challenge: She only thought about her strengths when something big was at stake — a major client pitch, a team meeting. But day-to-day? She defaulted to tasks, emails, deadlines.
Why This Strategy Works: Confidence grows when you practice your strengths, not just when you talk about them. The more frequently you operate in your genius zone, the more competent and secure you feel.
How You Can Apply It:
✓ Design your day around using your strengths — even in small ways.
✓ Choose one strength to intentionally apply each day and reflect on how it felt.
✓ If your current role doesn’t let you use your strengths regularly, find ways to weave them into conversations, collaborations, or side projects.
Example: Morgan started using her “emotional clarity” strength in team check-ins — asking questions that brought out deeper insight and connection. The more she saw her strength in action, the more her leadership confidence grew.
Speak About Your Strengths with Calm Conviction
Morgan’s Challenge: When asked what made her different from other producers, Morgan deflected. She downplayed. She hesitated.
Why This Strategy Works: When you can speak about your strengths clearly and calmly, you reinforce them in your own mind — and signal confidence to others. You’re not boasting, you’re being grounded in what’s true.
How You Can Apply It:
✓ Practice one-line statements that summarize your strength and how it helps others. “I’m great at seeing the story under the surface — that’s how I help clients connect emotionally with their audience.”
✓ Before a meeting or interview, remind yourself of the strength you want to lead with.
✓ When someone compliments you, instead of brushing it off, say: “Thank you — that’s something I really enjoy doing.”
Example: Morgan practiced saying: “My strength is shaping stories that resonate emotionally — it’s why storytellers trust me with sensitive material.” It felt awkward at first, but soon, it became second nature. And when she said it, people leaned in.
Your Next Move: Lead from Your Strengths, Live from Your Confidence
Confidence isn’t something you either have or don’t — it’s something you build. Every time you identify, apply, and speak from your strengths, you’re reinforcing your value — to yourself and to others.
Morgan didn’t become a different person — she just started believing in who she already was.
You can do the same.
Start here: — Discover your strengths using my thoughtful, in-depth strengths assessment. Hello Inner Genius Strengths assessment.
Ask: Where can I apply these more intentionally in my day-to-day work? — Practice owning your value — out loud.
Your strengths are your foundation. Your confidence grows from there.
About Phyllis Reagin I’m Phyllis Reagin, a doctoral-trained behaviorist, Executive & Leadership Coach and leading expert in Imposter Syndrome. I have coached hundreds of leaders (from Netflix, Warner Bros., Amazon MGM Studios, ViacomCBS, CNN, and more) to lead with greater confidence, influence, and impact.
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