How to Build Confidence When You’re New and Still Figuring Things Out
Feb 26, 2026
Confidence is one of the most misunderstood parts of starting a business.
Most people think confidence is something you either have or don’t. Like some entrepreneurs were born with it and the rest of us are just hoping it shows up eventually.
That’s not how it works.
Confidence isn’t a personality trait. It’s a byproduct of doing things before you feel ready and realizing you survived them.
If you’re new, unsure, and constantly questioning yourself, that doesn’t mean you’re bad at business. It means you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
First: Stop Expecting Confidence to Feel Like Certainty
One of the fastest ways to undermine your confidence is expecting certainty before you move.
Early-stage business confidence does not look like:
- Knowing exactly what you’re doing
- Feeling calm all the time
- Never questioning your decisions
It looks like:
- Making a decision without all the answers
- Taking action while still feeling unsure
- Learning in real time
If you’re waiting to feel “ready,” you’re waiting for a feeling that only shows up after you take action.
Confidence Is Built Through Evidence, Not Pep Talks
You don’t build confidence by telling yourself you’re confident.
You build confidence by collecting evidence that you can handle things.
Evidence looks like:
- Posting something and realizing the world didn’t end
- Having a sales conversation that feels awkward but honest
- Helping one client and seeing them get a result
- Figuring something out as you go instead of freezing
Each small action is a data point. Over time, those data points add up to trust in yourself.
Focus on What You Know, Not What You Don’t
Early on, it’s easy to focus on everything you haven’t figured out yet.
Instead, ask:
- What have I already learned?
- What problems have I already solved for people?
- What do people already come to me for?
You don’t need to be the most experienced person in the room. You just need to be a few steps ahead of the person you’re helping.
Separate Skill Gaps From Self-Worth
This is where a lot of confidence issues actually come from.
Struggling with marketing doesn’t mean you’re bad at business.
Feeling unsure about pricing doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for this.
Not knowing what to do next doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
It means you’re learning skills you’ve never had to use before.
Skills can be taught. Systems can be built. Confidence grows through repetition.
Your worth isn’t tied to how quickly you “get it.”
Borrow Confidence When Yours Is Shaky
You are not meant to build confidence in isolation.
Sometimes confidence comes from:
- Hearing someone else say, “Oh yeah, that part was hard for me too”
- Learning from someone who’s a few steps ahead
- Being in spaces where growth is normalized, not judged
If you constantly consume content from people who are years ahead of you, it’s easy to feel behind. Try grounding yourself in rooms where being early is expected.
Take Action in Smaller, Safer Ways
You don’t need to leap off a cliff to build confidence.
You need repeatable, low-risk action:
- Share one idea
- Have one conversation
- Make one decision and see what happens
Confidence grows through exposure, not pressure.
Track Progress So Your Brain Can See It
Your brain is very good at remembering what went wrong and ignoring what worked.
Build a habit of noticing:
- What felt hard but you did anyway
- What went better than expected
- What you learned this week
Confidence strengthens when progress is visible.
Final Thought
Confidence doesn’t come from having it all figured out.
It comes from learning that you can figure things out as you go.
If you’re still unsure, still learning, still questioning yourself, that doesn’t disqualify you. It means you’re in the work.
And that’s exactly where confidence is built.
