Confidence is a state of mind. Much of the advice on how to gain confidence revolves around eliminating behaviors that diminish confidence. The idea is that if you effect a confident attitude, others will perceive you as such, and eventually you will be truly confident. Here are three keys to gaining more confidence.

Success and failure teach different lessons. Lessons from failure tend to revolve around what not to do next time around, whereas lessons from success focus on what you can do again, perhaps even better. But whether you experience success or failure, the key is to take the time to learn from what happened.

When you see a coworker who’s stuck or upset, it’s natural to ask, “What can I do to help?" But this can be the wrong thing to do because the question, though well-intended, is too vague. It puts the burden on someone who is already stressed to identify the possible ways you might help. Here's what you can do instead.