10 Confidence Secrets of Successful Women

By Pierra C. Labrador for Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Confidence and success are inextricably linked—confident women tend to excel at whatever they set out to do. Need a little help addressing your wallflower tendencies? We interviewed some successful women in the fields of business, marketing, and even blogging, and came up with a list of 10 confidence secrets to help you achieve your potential.

1. The cardinal rule of confidence: love thyself. "I think in whatever role we play, we first have to like ourselves. When you are happy in your own skin, others pick up on that vibe," says Christine Dychiao, popular fashion blogger (manilafashionobserver.com), columnist, and social media consultant.

Stop worrying about what others will think or say. Rather, know that when people see how you value and believe in yourself, they instinctively follow suit.

2. Radiate positivity and a can-do attitude. Make it easy on yourself by working in a field you actually enjoy. Vivacious PR practitioner Annie Delgado Ringor, Managing Director of Bridges@com, says, "I love what I am doing and so it shows in every aspect of how I do my job."

3. Know your stuff. Widen your network. Whether you're at a corporate presentation or cocktail party, as Annie says, "Learn your craft, dress the part, know how to converse."

Marketing entrepreneur and blogger (OCMominManila.com) Kris de Guzman shares, "When I meet with clients or present to a big group, the ultimate confidence-booster for me is knowing I am credible. I make sure I am prepared for meetings by studying, researching, practicing, and thinking of possible questions from the audience."

4. Contribute something. When you know you have something valuable to offer—a skill, a talent, your expertise, even a good restaurant recommendation—let the world know!

Says Christine, who is also a columnist at The Philippine Star, "I think what gives me the confidence to keep on writing is the fact that I know what I am talking about. I make an effort to fact-check stories, I get my content straight from official sources, and I write about what I like. It's hard to contradict a story based on a foundation like that."

5. Manage your time wisely. Confidence can stem from a sense of accomplishment, but that means being able to allot enough time for every hat that you wear. Devise a schedule that works for you so you can focus on what's important.

For Kris, who is also wife to a TV producer and mom to two young girls, quitting her corporate marketing gig and working at home is the best decision she every made. "The main perk of owning your own business is owning your own time. I schedule things according to when I can do them. Even if I just gave birth a week ago, I am still able to find time to do a little work and take care of the new baby."

6. Have a good support system. Venisse Laurel-Hermano, sister of top designer Rajo Laurel and the business force behind House of Laurel, draws her strength from her family. "I believe that we are a powerful force, because I have been blessed with a strong family unit. Hard work and perseverance was instilled to us by our parents, and my mom taught us to always take care of each other and be supportive of each other's decisions."

Maureen* AVP for Marketing of a leisure developer corporation says, "My husband is always there whenever I need advice. Because we are so different in terms of personality, he gives me a different perspective on things."

7. Be driven to succeed. Having a defined mission or goal powers you to excel. For high-powered corporate exec Maureen, her family serves as an inspiration. "I hope I am being a good example to the kids by having a strict work ethic and a passion for excellence. There's a certain level of fulfillment you get when you put your heart into something and it works!"

Shares Venisse, "We are driven and determined not by how much we can make but how success can help a lot of families in our employ."

8. Keep your cool. Not everything will go your way, and the true test of a person's character is how they face adversity.

Says the PR maven Annie, "In a normal situation, when something goes wrong, I immediately try to look for an option to right the wrong. I always appear calm in many situations even if my stomach is churning!"

Meanwhile, Maureen turns to a higher power during trying moments. "I pray extra hard whenever I need direction. Sometimes you just need to go through painful and difficult experiences so you can learn to appreciate the good in your life later on—also these challenges make you wiser and stronger."

9. Be inspired. It always helps to have role models to emulate. Christine says, "I don't think there is anybody out there who is absolutely confident. So I am inspired by the many people I have met who are successful in their own respective fields, but still have bouts of fear, nervousness, and insecurity... what sets them apart is that they did not let fear and insecurity keep them from doing what they feel they are destined to do. I think confidence is important to have, but fear and insecurity can also be the catalyst to take the next step, try harder, dream bigger."

10. Dress for success. When you need an extra boost, turn to power dressing. Look good, feel good! Annie channels confidence via a bold color: "I wear a red dress and a pearl necklace." Maureen's confidence boosters? "Killer stilettos! Or a really cool accessory." As for Venisse, she shares, "My no-fail outfit? My black dress with my white overblouse and heels. A nice pair of earrings and a smile."

*not her real name

Pierra C. Labrador is a freelance writer, editor, stylist, and co-founder of the Philippine's new virtual styling site miss-match.com.ph. She's worked for the top Philippine glossies for over 10 years, and recently co-authored the Enjoy Philippines Manila Travel Guide.