There are many things in life that require significant levels of sacrifice and determination; it reminds me of the saying that the best things in life don’t come cheap. Achieving ones goals are no different, and it is the determination to see these processes through that can deal with a number of issues around confidence and self esteem.
Reaching for goals is an important part of strengthening self-confidence. It helps shape and update how you define yourself while at the same time helping you add to your sense of accomplishment. You can gain confidence simply by taking action towards your goal even if you don’t get the result you were looking for. Keep in mind that success is in the doing and not necessarily the result.
For a number of us (I would include myself) exercising or loosing weight would be just such a goal, and is always near to the top of my list. The act of exercising can be seen as a microcosm for everything you tackle in life. Participating in exercise, whether it is a formal class in a gym, using fitness equipment, participating in a sport or active hobby, or any physical effort, involves, commitment, effort, perseverance, and follow-through.
Perseverance means not quitting. It also is a sign of your strength of will, and can reflect itself in self esteem. It takes a strong mind to convince your body to hang in there and stick with the task no matter how difficult it seems. When you persevere in exercising, you learn to have what it takes mentally to face anything. On the opposite end, leaving a goal unfinished reflects lack of follow-through. It is not enough to do something once or for a short period of time, the key is to follow-through and to build the mental stamina to do so. Sometimes a goal is short term and once completed you can move on, but fitness is a lifetime goal and dealing with confidence issues and low self esteem is no different.