18 Traits That Make Confident People Stand Out Without Feeling Bad

Written By Lisa Marley

In all walks of life, you are bound to come across people who exude confidence, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Always wondered how they do it? Here are 18 traits that confident people have without an ounce of guilt.

Assertiveness

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A confident person’s rule number one is to always be assertive. They know what their boundaries are, how to enforce them, and how to communicate their basic needs in a way that never offends. When engaging in intense discussions, they can be forward without coming across as aggressive.

Emotional Resilience

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Negative feelings can challenge a person’s overall outlook on life. Acuity Training notes that self-confident individuals have an easier time bouncing back from setbacks. This tends to be because they see issues as learning opportunities, and have acquired the strength to manage their stress without taking it out on others.

Self-Awareness

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Someone who looks inside themselves can clearly identify their strengths and weaknesses. Confidence is being completely secure within yourself through reflection, and it is not fearing constructive criticism from others. If placed in a new environment or with a bunch of strangers, it is important for confident people to adapt and change their behavior accordingly.

Good Listening Skills

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Those who are confident are usually also incredible at listening to understand and gain perspective, not just to respond idly. They will not be occupied by their phones or any other distractions during a conversation because being present allows them to fully engage, remember the little details, and ask insightful questions when necessary.

Decisiveness

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On the surface, it may seem that a confident person makes decisions without thinking twice. But little did you know that there is a lot that goes into each thought process. They often balance logic with intuition, have great powers of persuasion, and, when in doubt, consult with others to assess the best course of action.

Optimism

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Adopting a hopeful mindset will go very far when you are trying to emulate confidence. If you view a person in your life as self-assured, they most likely encourage you to see the silver lining to any dark cloud and often look for any sliver of positivity in even the worst situations.

Positive Body Language

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Have you ever noticed that you never see a confident person slouching or crossing their arms when out in public? Body language has great power and is a way in which humans nonverbally send signals to the world. The London Image Institute says that if you show approachability through your gestures and posture, ‘people will respond to you accordingly.’

Charisma

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When positive energy and a beautiful aura come together, they are an unbeatable duo. Confident people naturally draw people in by communicating articulately and persuasively while also carrying an air of warmth about them. This allows them to build relationships with a wide range of people and leave a long-lasting impression on everyone they meet.

Transparency

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You may notice that the most confident of people are often the most open and honest. They are crystal clear about their intentions and their expectations of those closest to them and can quickly build trust with new connections by being consistent and vulnerable. You will most likely never meet a confident person whose actions fail to match their words.

Gratitude

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An assured person’s cup will never be half empty. They are content with the things that they have, and the lessons that they have learned will be looked back on with a positive mindset. Other people’s success brings them joy because it means that those around them are as happy and confident as they can be.

Proactivity

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According to Forbes, proactivity is a unique character trait, and those who have it tend to lead by example in most settings. It is a common trait among confident individuals and can materialize through actions such as taking initiative, anticipating problems preemptively acting on them, and engaging in activities that will reap long-term benefits.

Takes Risks

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Believing that you can handle anything is the first step to being confident, especially when stepping out of your comfort zone into the unknown. Those with self-confidence don’t let their fears act as obstacles in the way of their achievements, and they certainly don’t let themselves stagnate in the same place because they aren’t willing to put themselves out there.

Not Judgemental

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Take a leaf out of a confident person’s book and refrain from judging others or yourself too strongly. They don’t have the urge to insult someone else if it will make them feel better because they are self-assured. Of course, everyone sets high standards for themselves, but those with confidence are more realistic when examining their strengths and weaknesses.

Go-getter Attitude

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It may seem as though the confident people of the world have everything, but trust us, they had to put in the work first. If they want a promotion at work, they won’t just wait year after year for it to be magically handed to them; they will do what it takes to earn it before directly asking for it.

Asking for Help

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Not being afraid to request assistance when needed is a tell-tale sign that a person is content within themselves. Open Growth notes that confident people ‘know they are not the best or foremost authority on every topic’ and so rarely shy away from gaining knowledge and skills that they currently lack.

Acknowledge Mistakes

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When faced with their failures, self-assured people are unlikely to become defensive and refuse to take responsibility. They will own up immediately and take some time to reflect on their mistake to ensure that it is never repeated. For them, messing up is never a setback but something that indicates where there is room for improvement.

Clear Mental Vision

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No blurry senses of purpose around here! Those with confidence have a very good idea of what they want and the direction that they need to go in to get it. In professional environments, they will have a knack for motivating a team and are able to persuade anyone to align themselves with a particular vision.

Passionate

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Being genuinely enthusiastic about something, whether it be a project or a TV show, can infect an entire room of people in the best way possible. Someone who pursues their desires with determination and commitment can achieve pretty much anything and in turn, will often inspire the people around them as a result.

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