Building Confidence

My first professional position after college was in the human resource department of a construction engineering company.  I did a good job covering up the fact that I lacked confidence in some of the responsibilities I was assigned, mostly because the experience was new to me.  The company was really looking for a candidate with more experience for the position.  The most prevailing reason, the Director informed me, why I was hired was because he liked my perseverance. I can’t say I really understood the full meaning of his assessment at the time, but as years passed, that same trait the Director saw in me has been significant in helping me to reach many of my life goals.

Sheila at her workshop, “Mo Better Inspiration for Women over 40” – Las Vegas

Determined not to be defeated, I relied on my inner strengths to overcome my lack. I was going to be everything they thought I was not and exceed their expectations.  Thankfully, what I lacked in experience, I made up in faith. I believed then as I do now that relying on our inner strength is everything when we want to build our confidence.

Sheila was one of the featured authors at The NAACP Centennial Author Pavilion, 100 Year 100 Authors – New York City

I am a coach to primarily women on self-development. One of the first things I ask new clients is “What is your attitude?” When you walk in a room, do you have an attitude of confidence, or do you proceed to the nearest table and sit for the duration? When you leave home for any reason, even if it’s a trip to the local grocery store, do you look your very best? While on a work or school project, is your output representative of your ability, or do you just get the job done to get by? These questions may appear insignificant to some, but possessing an attitude of confidence is a major part of developing your character.

I’ve come a long way since those early days in corporate human resources. Yes, I did exceed the expectations. I also gained the respect of my superiors and maintained friendships for many years after leaving the company. Much can be attributed to overcoming my lack of confidence to prevail over my lack of experience.  It was essentially a position of possibility. It was not impossible for me to step into the position following someone with more experience. Though challenging, I always reverted back to the thought of persevering in spite of.

When facing challenges, we can pull from many resources. The most important is our faith, which provides the strength we need to meet the myriad of life situations we may encounter. At times, we may have to dig deeper into our oneness and pull a cup full of strength to build up our confidence.  That’s the great thing about our inner strength. It can expand and meet our needs in every phase of our lives. Stay strong and convicted to reach your goals.

– Sheila L. Agnew McCoy

Sheila L. Agnew (B.S., M.B.A.) is an author, inspirational speaker, womanpreneur and peer coach. Sheila is a Chicago native currently residing in Atlanta, GA. Sheila spent over fifteen years in the special events industry prior to focusing on women’s issues through creating and producing expos, workshops and seminars for self-development. She co-produced Spirited Sisters Expo in Columbus, OH for five years, which became the impetus for her first book, All About the Vets, A Sharing of Life Experiences for Women of Honor (2007). Her second book, Dear ____, Are You Missing Your Calling? (2013) is receiving high honors from readers. Sheila was formerly the Chapter Director for Over 40 Females Atlanta and is currently the founder of Confident Women 40 Plus. As a strategic event manager, Sheila has successfully implemented marketing and promotional events for clients including Revlon, Radio One, Anheuser Busch, Chicago Housing Authority, National Medical Association and non-traditional urban radio promotions. You may visit her blog Mo Better.

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