CONFIDENCE...do you have it?

I think one of the only ways one can be successful in the field of public relations is if one possesses a genuine individually defined CONFIDENCE.

All too often I think young professionals confuse "confidence" with "arrogance," which I will assure you will not get you very far in most circumstances.

If you look at the Meriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the first definition of confidence reads:

• "a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's own circumstances."

I think this is a perfect definition of confidence in relation to the mindset of the pr professional in that, in order to be successful at the tasks at hand we must be fully aware and sure of the skills we possess in communicating effective messages through a wide range of media.

In addition to being aware and sure of the communication skills and knowledge we possess, we must also realize that we alone control the ultimate outcome of success or failure in all of our endeavors. We must not sit back and expect others around us to do all of the work. We must be motivated and passionate about every opportunity that greets us in life, and know that the truly confident and able professional knows the scope and limits of their individual skills and power, as well as how to learn from the confidence and skills of others.