It is indeed unfortunate that confidence isn’t a trait we’re born with. When we’re infants, we all have to depend on a caregiver for nurturing and, quite frankly, growth, but as we mature we gain the skills necessary to feed ourselves, dress ourselves and eventually communicate with others.

Most of us will take the journey from going through school to attaining a college degree, all the way up to landing a job for which we probably don’t have a stich of experience – and that’s where we can begin to discuss confidence.

Somehow, someway, our confidence in the working world either deflates gradually as we make errors, or grows exponentially as we successfully accomplish tasks and excel. The secret to building confidence in order to succeed in life and in the workplace comes down to a few simple elements: How we react to criticism, our ability to garner knowledge and experience and the decisions we make throughout a day. We will tell you now: It is possible to grow your confidence when at the office, but you have to be ready to apply some habits we’re going to outline below.

1. Remember Your Wins (i.e. Capitalize on Strengths)

This isn’t to say that you should rest on laurels and perhaps wallow in past triumphs, but you should be thinking more of your successes than your failures; if you find yourself struggling with a particular element of a current job, think back to a project or moment in time you were especially proud of, and allow that thought to send your morale into overdrive. Indeed, your best moments are what you are wholly capable of – and you shouldn’t forget it.

2. Present Yourself Confidently

From practicing posture and smiling more to dressing for the part, it’s all about presentation when re-evaluating your confidence level. Case in point: Hunching over at your desk can actually instill feelings of reduced confidence as well as insecurity, according to research, so suck that belly button in and pull your shoulders back when standing or sitting. Likewise, an attractive smile makes a huge difference when it comes to confidence, which is why many dental professionals believe having clean, straight and pearly white teeth is very important when boosting one’s esteem. Additionally, a number of recent studies have suggested that dressing up for work in a suit or blazer could do wonders for an employee’s productivity, as well as raising one’s confidence level.

3. Novel Experiences to Improve Functioning and Boost Confidence

We understand that everyone has their comfort zone they don’t want to veer away from, but confidence does not manifest because of perfection…it is the result of effort. Try to step out of that comfort area and experience something new. New and novel experiences – doing something different even if it was frightening, trying a new strategy to solve a problem, taking a weekend trip someplace new, et al – can help you thrive in the workplace as it will get you used to adventures both large and small.

4. Defeat Negative Thoughts and Focus on Positive Thinking

It’s called training your brain, and we all must do it: The impact of positive thinking on work, health and life is being studied with overwhelmingly positive results. When you experience positive emotions like love, joy and contentment, a wealth of possibilities in life can be seen as clear as day.

Self-confidence is definitely the key to success, especially when it comes to higher levels of productivity in the workplace.