Habits that will help exuberate your confidence

"One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation." Arthur Ashe

Coming from the tennis legend, who fought racial tension - both on and off the court- and HIV/AIDS, his words echo the pertinence of self-confidence especially in a society where bloated egos run amok. It is common-knowledge that if you want to get somewhere in life you need to be confident of yourself and your abilities. Confident people exude passion, suave and are self-aware, no matter what the situation they are never nervous or skittish. But have you ever wondered how they are so sure of their skills? What is the secret behind their confident nature?

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Here are five habits of confident people that you need to start incorporating:

They are happy people

"You yourself, as much as anyone in the entire universe deserve your love and affection."

~ Buddha

Happiness is an important element of confidence as it marks you as self-content, which proportionately boost your belief in your ability. Confident people are satisfied about their accomplishments in life and they don't feel the need validation for their achievements.

Ability to put their foot down

The wherewithal to say a no, when required is another facility that confident folks possess. People who have difficulty saying 'no' to unwarranted commitments are more likely to run into trouble, than poised personalities who can put their foot down. They only agree to commitments they can fulfill and rather than submitting to the pressure of getting into the good books of others.

They aren't judgmental

Level-headedness nurtures the capacity to be a good judge of character, while keeping at bay the negative tendency of being judgmental. Confident people know that everyone has their own unique abilities. They never yield to humiliate their subordinates in order to feel good about themselves. They understand that comparing themselves to everyone around them is unhealthy behavior. Therefore, when they meet new people, they don't waste time sizing others up to see if they are better than them.

They are great listeners

Confident people are amazing to talk to because they are great listeners. Instead of constantly trying to show-off their vast resources of knowledge and gain the upper-hand in a conversation, they actually pay attention to what others have to add. This is because they don't feel the need to prove their worth with every conversation and they recognize that if they listen intently, they might gain something out of the exchange.

They aren't attention-seekers

Attention-seeking is the trait of the egoistic. Confident people never crave for attention as they understand that being yourself is far more important than trying to prove your worth. If they are ever lavished with attention for their accomplishments, they shift the focus on others because they draw their self-worth from within.

Practice the above mentioned habits to become a more confident person. As Marcus Garvey once said, "With confidence, you have won before you have started".