Since reading Chris’ post Confidence Matters More Than Anything, I’ve been thinking about confidence.  I’m not a confident person, but people think I am.  It’s bluff and personality.  Just because I’m loud, doesn’t mean I’m confident.  I’m pretty much perpetually worried about what people think of me.  And I have to fight pretty hard not to have that be the driving force in my life.  I’m always thinking things like – people aren’t really interested in what you have to say, you’re not persuasive, you’re not really a leader, people don’t really like you.  All lies, I know . . . on my good days.

But here’s my question: Is bluff good enough?  It doesn’t seem to be in my life.  So what else do I need?  Talent?  Focus?  Determination?  Perseverance?  Belief?

Here’s what I think: Confidence is some kind of mixture of some, many or all of the above.  I know I have talent . . . again, on my good days.  And I can dig my heels in with the best of them.  But maybe a little more belief and a lot more focus would get me closer to the elusive confidence.

Until then . . . bluff will have to be enough.

But I am confident of this, that He who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  -Philippians 1:6