I will review The Self Confidence Workbook: A Guide to Overcoming Self-Doubt and
Improving Self-Esteem by Markway Barbara and Celia Ampel. This book covers self-confidence,
including the various misconceptions about self-confidence, where it comes from, and explains
how individuals can attain it. The authors noted that confidence is a mysterious quality as it is the
most admired quality. Markway and Ampel defined self-confidence as the willingness to take
steps towards valued goals even when one is anxious and the outcome is likely unknown. The
book noted that confidence comes from being grounded in one’s sense of self. The authors gave
an example and said that engaging in a simple thought exercise helps people decrease anxiety
before performing when in high-stake situations. In this review, I will discuss why I chose the
book and the unique thing I found in it. I will also link the information here with an external
source discussing techniques used to overcome self-doubt and improve self-esteem.

I chose this book to learn more about self-confidence and how I can overcome self-doubt
and improve self-esteem. Before reading this book, I thought that confidence has everything to
do with how one feels. I used to believe that confident people act with ease, calmness, and
assurance. However, this book helped me understand that confidence argued it is more than a
feeling but the courage to take a leap of faith and act with trust. I cannot regret taking time to
read this book because it explains confidence, where it comes from, and existing misconceptions
about the topic. According to Markway and Ampel (2018), confidence is not something one has
to possess every moment of every day but rather a choice to take a bold step and act consistently
with their value (p. 22). The author cautioned that confidence is not about speaking the loudest or dominating every moment, it is not characterized by wealth or status. Rather, it is freeing one’s
mind from obsessive worry and self-doubt Markway and Ampel., 2018 p. 23).

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