Confidence and Energy

Do confident people have more energy?

What physics tells us

Physicists offer insights in what they call the Law of Conservation of Energy. This law simply states that in a closed system the total amount of energy remains constant while the mix of energy changes.

A pendulum is an easy to envision example of this law. When the pendulum is at rest all of the energy is gravitational energy. But once the pendulum is put into motion the energy in the system is a combination of kinetic energy (motion), friction (created as the pendulum moves through the air, and gravitational (which takes over as the kinetic energy dissipates.

Since each human being is a closed system, a system unto itself, our total energy never changes. This raises the question as to why we at times feel energetic and at other times feel lethargic? We also wonder how some people are able to accomplish so much more than others given that we all have the same amount of time available to us.

Energy experienced

There are a lot of factors that influence how much energy we experience at any point in time including health issues, lack of sleep, eating habits, exercise regime, or the lack thereof, are all factors that influence the energy we feel. Confidence is another factor.

People who are confident in their ability to deal with anything that comes their way, who realize that challenges are opportunities to learn and grow, who enjoy what others have to offer even when they possess differing views, don’t experience the same rate of energy dissipation as less confident people.

The reason is that less confident people experience more fear, more anxiety and more frustration. They are also more likely to nurture these feelings while more confident people quickly set them aside. Fear, anxiety and frustration are energy drains. They accelerate the dissipation of the energy the individual possesses. As a result less confident people appear less energetic and more lethargic.

Conversely, confident people enjoy challenges because they get to learn something new. They also know that what they learn will help propel them to their goal more quickly. Consequently, their energy isn’t dissipated anywhere nearly as quickly as those with less confidence. That’s why confident people appear to be more energetic and have more stamina. Plus they’re having fun and fun sustains energy while fear, anxiety and frustration drain your energy.

Now that we have some insights into how confidence influences our energy level, let’s explore why some people are more productive than others.

Productivity

There are a couple of factors that influence the productivity we experience:

• The way we manage energy
• Desire

Energy management

One of the keys to improving productivity is to discover when each type of energy is at its peak for you. During the day pay attention to when you’re most creative and when that creative energy dissipates. Note when your body craves action and schedule your exercise routine at that time. Fill in the gaps between the two with the mindless, repetitive tasks of daily living. That way you optimize your energy throughout the day.

One of the things I discovered was that my mind was most alert first thing in the morning. When I was functioning a Chief Financial Officer for companies, I’d use the early morning to keep up with tax law changes. If I waited to mid-afternoon to do that I’d often read the same paragraph four times and still not grasp the essence of the law change. That’s what I mean by managing energy.

Desire

To me, this is the biggest factor that influences productivity. I my opinion the thing that separates the top people in any field from the very good is desire. It’s why the sharks on Shark Tank, the Williams sisters and any top-tier performer in any discipline excel. They love what they do so for them it’s not work, it’s fun. They love what they do and are constantly looking for ways to get better at what they do. That’s why they’re so successful. If you or I had that same level of passion for what we do, we’d be equally successful.

For you

If you want to experience higher levels of energy,:

• Regularly remind yourself of all the things you’ve accomplished…even when you’ve had no background or experience.
• Recall that you’ve never failed to deal effectively with any situation you’ve faced
• Discover your natural energy flow and utilize effectively
• Follow your passion; don’t allow yourself to be trapped into something you don’t enjoy

For our kids

As you observe your kids energy level ebbing, teach them that they have the ability to manage their energy. Let them know that the confidence they possess influences the energy they experience. Help them discover their natural energy cycle and make them aware that their cycle changes throughout their lives. Finally, help them follow their passion for that’s where they will enjoy their greatest success.