As we step into 2025, leadership chatter often focuses on confidence—being certain, assured, and capable. But here’s the truth: confidence alone isn’t enough to take you where you want to go.
In fact, confidence can sometimes hold you back. Why? Because it relies on evidence—it’s knowing you’ve done something (or something similar) before. It’s built on past successes, which makes it situational and, frankly, limiting.
What happens when you’re faced with a challenge you’ve never encountered before? When the stakes are high, and the path ahead is murky? That’s when you need something deeper, more foundational: self-confidence.
The Confidence vs. Self-Confidence Divide
Here’s how I see it:
- Confidence is external. It says, “I know I can do this because I’ve done it before.” It’s valuable, but it’s finite—limited by your past experiences.
- Self-confidence is internal. It says, “I have no evidence I can do this, but I trust myself to figure it out.” This kind of confidence propels you into uncharted territory, grounded in resilience and self-trust.
For leaders, the stakes often require the latter. You’re constantly making decisions without perfect information, stepping into roles you’ve never filled, and navigating challenges no one has prepared you for. In these moments, confidence based on the past can falter. What sustains you is your belief in your ability to adapt, learn, and grow—your self-confidence.
When Confidence Wasn’t Enough
When I was selected to umpire at the Little League World Series, you might think I walked onto that field brimming with confidence. After all, I had over 20 years of experience umpiring games, and I was partnered with fellow umpires who have called hundreds of games more than me.
But stepping onto that stage wasn’t like any game I’d called before. These kids had worked all summer long to get to this point. I wanted them to have an amazing experience. It was televised internationally, played in front of huge crowds, and the stakes were higher than ever. Confidence—the kind that comes from knowing you’ve done something similar—only carried me so far. I’d never been in a situation quite like this, and the thought popped into my head, “What if I mess up in front of the entire world?”
That’s when I realized that confidence wasn’t going to get me through this—it had to be self-confidence. I didn’t have proof that I could handle the pressure of this level, but I trusted myself to figure it out. I leaned on my preparation, my instincts, and my belief that even if I made a mistake, I’d own it, learn, and keep smiling.
And guess what? There were moments when I wasn’t perfect. One pitch even smacked me square in the face and my mechanics were totally messed up! But I stayed in the game because self-confidence isn’t about perfection—it’s about resilience. It’s about knowing that you can rise, adapt, and succeed, even in the most unfamiliar and high-stakes situations.
A New Year’s Challenge: Trust Yourself
As you head into 2025, I want to challenge you to stop chasing confidence and start building self-confidence and trust in yourself.
Here’s what that looks like:
- Acknowledge your role in past successes. Toot your own horn!! Stop chalking up your wins to luck, timing, your team, or external factors. Recognize your decisions, skills, and leadership were key. Own it!
- Get comfortable with the unknown. Embrace the idea that not having all the answers doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. It means you get to figure it out. Believe in your ability to figure stuff out.
- Redefine failure. View setbacks as data points for growth rather than verdicts on your ability. Self-confidence grows when you allow yourself to learn and improve. Iteration is the key. Expect to iterate every time you try something new.
✨ Imagine a year where you trust yourself to navigate every challenge, even the ones you’ve never faced before.
🌟 A year where self-doubt isn’t the voice in the back of your mind but the fuel that drives your growth.
Take the First Step
The first step to building self-confidence is awareness—shining a light on where self-doubt is quietly influencing your decisions and leadership.
That’s why I’ve created a five-minute quiz to help you uncover these hidden patterns. It’s a quick, powerful tool to identify where you can grow and start the year with clarity and boldness to move beyond.
👉 Take the Self-Doubt/Self-Confidence Quiz Now
It’s private and confidential – so don’t worry. No one will see your results but you. 😉
Lead Boldly in 2025
Confidence is knowing what you’ve done. Self-confidence is trusting who you are and who you can become.
This year, step into the kind of leadership that doesn’t just rely on the past but believes in the future. Trust yourself to grow, adapt, and thrive—because that’s what great leaders do.
Your leadership, your decisions, and your vision deserve that trust. Let’s make 2025 the year you lead with boldness and self-confidence.