During my time as a tutor, I’ve repeatedly and earnestly advocated for the importance of skills. More importantly, I’ve espoused understanding what skills are – things we can learn, things anyone can do. And that’s precisely what confidence is – a skill. Academic confidence rests comfortably in the same department. And you know that skill the same way you learn anything – you break it down. Let’s break academic confidence down for you and let you see all the bricks you can build it with.

Practice & Repetition

Think of a goalie who catches 350 balls a day. How do you think they got there? If you guessed repeated practice, you guessed correctly. Academic confidence builds the same way. And the repeated practice in question? Problem solving. Studying. Writing. The stones you build your temple on are the challenges you face and surmount again and again until you’ve beaten the mind killer that is fear. They’re the evidence that you can do this. The more you work through the challenges, the less of a hold the fear has on you. Crush the fear, become confident. Lather, rinse, practice, repeat.

Try, Try Again

Persistence is king. How many times have you bailed after your first brush with failure? It’s okay. So many of us have run from the same thing the same way. The good news is it doesn’t have to stay that way. If you wrote a book and quit after being rejected by two or three publishers, that’s totally understandable. But imagine taking it to twelve or thirteen more publishers until you finally get the one yes in a sea of noes. One author had to make that journey before finding her promised land, becoming one of the most well-known authors in history. Her name? J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series.

Believe me, there will be setbacks in academia. Our dreaded grade system teaches you to fear them, but a world where those setbacks don’t happen isn’t reality. Even if you never fail a single test, you might have a paper get rejected in your professional life. You might struggle with complex concepts. Our heavily flawed grade system teaches you to fear setbacks instead of seeing them for what they are: golden opportunities. These setbacks will happen; only in a fictional universe will they not be a factor. Bad grades are part of the learning process. Don’t worry if you get them; don’t fall apart. Recognize them for the opportunity they are and try, try again.

Self-Speak

Whenever your teacher has looked to select a student for an answer in class, have you, in your head, ever been like, “Please don’t pick me. I don’t know the answer. I’m not smart enough. I’m bad at math.” If this has been you, don’t worry. That’s very common. The problem is when you make that thinking a habit. What you have on your hands there is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Build yourself up with better self-talk. Make yourself someone who can confidently think and speak the opposite of every dreaded thought you’ve felt or spoken out loud.

How to do this? Try an academic rap sheet. Make a list of the concepts you’ve mastered, the good grades you’ve earned, and the papers you’ve written. Make your resume, be your own hype man in the face of tough times like exam periods or battles with imposter syndrome. Hype yourself up with great self-speak.

See more about self-speak from Psychology Today.

Interpreting Feedback

This is an easier one, especially if you have the others mastered. Choose to interpret criticism as constructive. And the good news is that most of the feedback you get from instructors is constructive. It’s guidance, not failure, the same way a B is guidance, not defeat.

The Main Takeaway

If you want anyone to believe in you, believe in yourself. Start there. That kind of power is especially significant in environments where doubt can paralyze you, such as in academia. Ask yourself, which of these features do I have down? Which ones need work? Either way, get to building that temple. Your success awaits.

By Kristopher Heaton, Tutor and Academic Coach

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