Hey Lykkers! Ever been in a meeting where everyone seems so sure of themselves, while you're secretly wondering if you even belong there?

Or maybe you've gotten great feedback, but a little voice in your head whispers, "They're just being nice—soon they'll find out you're winging it."

If this sounds familiar, take a deep breath. You're not alone, and you're not a fraud. You're experiencing the "confidence gap"—the space between your actual capabilities and your perceived ones. The good news? It's a gap you can learn to bridge. Let's talk about how to project assurance, even when you're feeling anything but.

The idea of "faking" confidence might sound inauthentic, but there's profound science behind it. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy's renowned research on body language revealed a powerful truth: "Our bodies change our minds, our minds can change our behavior, and our behavior can change our outcomes" (Cuddy, A., Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges, 2015).

She suggests that by adopting "power poses"—open, expansive postures for just two minutes—you can trigger a real biochemical change. Your testosterone (the dominance hormone) increases and your cortisol (the stress hormone) decreases. So, standing tall with your shoulders back, even in the bathroom stall before a big presentation, isn't just an act; it's priming your brain to feel more confident.

Your Three-Second Secret Tool

You can't always strike a power pose, but you can always control your breath. When we're nervous, our breathing becomes shallow, which fuels anxiety and makes our voice shaky. This is a simple but incredibly effective hack.

Before you speak up, take one deep, slow breath in through your nose, and let it out slowly through your mouth. This signals to your primal brain that you are not, in fact, in mortal danger. It calms your nervous system and gives you a moment to center yourself.

Prepare, Don't Panic

Confidence isn't about knowing everything; it's about trusting that you can handle what comes. This is where preparation is your best friend. You can't anticipate every question, but you can master your core material.

Rehearse your key points out loud. Anticipate the three toughest questions you might get and have your responses ready. This isn't about memorizing a script, but about building a foundation of competence that you can rely on when nerves strike. The goal is to move from feeling like an imposter to feeling like a prepared problem-solver.

Reframe the Voice in Your Head

That inner critic loves to shout, "You're going to mess up!" or "They're all judging you!" The trick isn't to silence it (which is nearly impossible), but to reframe it.

Challenge those thoughts with evidence. Ask yourself: "Have I prepared? Have I handled similar situations before?" Another powerful technique is to shift your focus from yourself to your audience. Instead of thinking "How am I doing?", ask "How can I help them understand?" or "What value can I provide?" This moves you from a state of self-doubt to a state of service, which is inherently more confident.

This approach is supported by psychologist Dr. Ethan Kross, who found that "Use distanced self‑talk. One way to create distance when you're experiencing chatter involves language. When you're trying to work through a difficult experience, use your name and the second‑person "you" to refer to yourself."

Lykkers, remember that the most confident people in the room aren't those without doubts. They're the ones who have learned to act in spite of them. Your capability was never the issue; it was your belief in it. Now, go take that deep breath, stand up straight, and own your space. You've got this.