Confidence Beyond Measure

Book excerpt: Confidence Beyond Measure: The Science of Believing in Yourself introduces an entirely new kind of inborn self-confidence that you don't have to learn or earn and that has nothing to do with how you were raised, how successful you've been, or how positively you think about yourself.This core confidence is the same instinctive strength that made our ancestors believe they could kill a woolly mammoth with a sharpened stick, and that they and their children deserved the warmest part of the cave. This innate sense of worth is like hunger—so deeply and permanently part of our nature that it's undamaged by even lifelong neglect, failure, or criticism. Core confidence is not magical or mystical. It's based on research in psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, primatology, and evolutionary biology. To feel it you just have to stop an ancient control system in your emotional brain from being alarmed by your intense belief in yourself and needlessly generating self-doubt and self-criticism to suppress it. Over the last 20, years Dr. Sullivan developed an easy visualization program that relaxes this unnecessary control system, allowing core confidence to effortlessly surge and make people feel smarter, stronger, and certain that they'll succeed. You feel poised and comfortable in any situation.Core confidence clears your mind, concentrates your attention, and ignites your energy and creativity. And because it always believes you will triumph, it spurs you to persevere through hardships and failures. You will discover the real you and face your challenges and your dreams fully believing in your own worth, strength, and talent.“A fascinating read combining enlightening theory with meticulously gathered clinical evidence, well-crafted exercises, and inspiring cases of people uncovering hidden confidence . . . a revolutionary, clinically-tested approach that can change your life.” – Charles L. Sheridan, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Psychology Department, University of Missouri – Kansas City, author of five books, including Health Psychology, and the blog, OnResilience.com. “Dr. Sullivan's visualizations have increased my confidence immensely. His theory runs contrary to traditional self-help approaches, which may be exactly why it's the only one that has ever worked for me—and I've tried them all.” – Rita Arens, editor of Sleep Is for the Weak, author of Surrender, Dorothy, and senior editor of BlogHer.com.