In the world of business, we reward those with confidence and punish – or at least we do not reward — those who lack this vital ingredient.

“If knowledge and resources were all you needed, you wouldn’t be here,” says Brittany Packnett Cunningham, an activist, and educator who champions the importance of building confidence. As a former recruiter with global experience, I could not agree more. I have interviewed hundreds of competent, well-educated executives who struggled to fulfill their potential because they lacked confidence.

Ms. Cunningham summed it best when she said, “Confidence is the necessary spark before everything that follows.”  

And here is the crux of it all:  confidence keeps us going when we fail.

Sr. Winston Churchill famously defined success as going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

Confidence is something you can develop. So, if you are struggling with your career, perhaps it’s time for confidence and a shot of enthusiasm.