The Confidence Effect: Why Starting Is Sometimes the Hardest Part

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how resilient women are.

We really can do it all.

But the truth is, sometimes the hardest part is simply starting.

Starting the workout routine.
Starting the closet cleanout.
Registering for that conference.
Finishing the book that’s been sitting on the nightstand.

It’s funny how something small can feel so big before we begin.

Recently I was traveling internationally again for work, with my life stretched across two countries and two time zones.

There were moments where I sat in a small café in Argentina, journaling with a coffee in hand, feeling excited and a little nervous at the same time.

But once I started moving forward — meeting people, solving problems, taking the next step — something shifted.

Confidence started to build.

That’s when I remembered something important:

Confidence works a lot like compound interest.

You start with something small.

Then that fuels the next step.

And suddenly you’re moving forward with a completely different energy.

For me, a big part of that energy comes from the women around me.

The friends who lift you up, remind you of who you are, and stand beside you when things feel uncertain.

Good girlfriends are everything.

Add to that a few inspiring podcasts, conversations with women who motivate me, and suddenly that momentum builds even more.

Soon you feel like you’re floating a little — carried forward by that positive energy.

And sometimes it’s the smallest rituals that keep that momentum going.

Putting on a belt that pulls an outfit together before heading out the door.

Organizing a corner of your closet.

Creating a little beauty and order around you.

Little moments that say:

I’m ready for today.

My hope is that energy is contagious.

That maybe you’ll start that one thing you’ve been putting off.

Even if it’s small.

Because once you start… confidence has a beautiful way of taking over.

And before you know it, you’re on your own kick-butt trajectory.

— Ada Deferrari