3 Ways to Boost Your Interior Design Confidence

Confidence is inside of each of us, and it’s a lot like a muscle. You have to build it up with consistent exercise, or risk it getting weak. If you’re finding yourself with a lack of interior design confidence around getting great clients, delivering excellent design solutions and service, and being well compensated, there is a simple process you can deploy to correct that.

Key Takeaways

✓ Confidence is a muscle you build through consistent exercise, and you can train it in less than 5 minutes a day by answering three daily questions in a journal.

✓ Handwriting your interior design testimonials in the back of your journal gives you a quick confidence boost based on what clients have already said about you.

✓ Delegating what you’re not good at frees you to focus on the high-value tasks that grow your interior design practice, while daily self-care keeps you available for your clients and your family.

✓ Writing by hand in a journal you love creates far more impact than typing on a computer when building interior design confidence.

#1 Get a Journal You Love & Can’t Wait to Use

This needs to be about paper and ink, not a keyboard and computer. You’ll get far more impact by manually writing your answers to just three daily questions, everyday for one full year. This will take you less than 5 minutes a day, the results are profound, priceless, and last a lifetime.

You want a journal that is small enough to travel with you, keep it in your purse or work tote for quick reference. And make sure it has room for writing, doodling, and drawing. This is about boosting your interior design confidence so you want to harness all your senses.

#2 Start at the Back of the Journal|Notebook

And handwrite in all of your interior design testimonials. They may be from your website, your Facebook, your IG, your Google listing, or your Houzz, and hand copy them into the back of your journal for quick reference and a confidence boost.

I encourage you to do this one per page, and allow room for you to write comments about the client and the project. This is a quick shot of interior design confidence based on what others have said about you. If you’ve been sloppy in getting testimonials, this is your wake up call!

#3 What You Ask Yourself (and Answer) Daily

What am I good at or what’s good about me? It’s simple but can often be one of the hardest questions to answer when you’re beating yourself up, your negative nelly or ned is at play, or you just aren’t used to praising yourself.

If you get stuck, ask your kids, your spouse, or a friend. It’s often easier to do this for others than it is for ourselves. The point of this is to get you turning your focus from what’s wrong with you or what you’re not doing well, to what you’re awesome at! This works to boost your interior design confidence.

What can I delegate today? Now, this question means you are in charge of your day, it’s not in charge of you. You know what needs to get done and you know what you’re good at and what your not.

Delegate what you’re not good at. Whether it’s outsourcing to an assistant in real time, or online talent doesn’t matter. Bragging about doing it all yourself isn’t how you get ahead and grow your interior design practice. Focus on your strengths and delegate weaknesses. You want to save your attention for the $1K tasks not the $10 tasks, get those off your plate.

What will I do for myself today? If it weren’t for you, your interior design business wouldn’t exist, your spouse wouldn’t be married to you, and the kids wouldn’t exist either (if you have them). You must learn to take care of you each and every day so you’re available for you, your clients and your family. Boost your interior design confidence.

Prioritizing yourself may feel strange at first. You’re probably used to putting everyone else’s needs in front of yours. Stop it. Whether it’s taking 20 minutes for meditation, 30 minutes for a workout, giving yourself permission for an extra cup of coffee, or time for lunch with a friend, a new pair or shoes, you get the idea.

Confidence is essential to your interior design business success. It’s a mindset muscle you can train with the exercises presented here in less than 5 minutes a day. Give yourself the gift of confidence and your life and business will bloom in unexpected ways.

When you want to grow your confidence by taking control of your interior design practice, and mastering earning more in less time with less stress, get your complimentary Design Business Diagnostic, here.

Frequently asked questions

How can I boost my interior design confidence quickly?

Answer three daily questions in a journal you love: what you’re good at, what you can delegate today, and what you’ll do for yourself today. This takes less than 5 minutes a day and trains your confidence like a muscle. Handwrite your interior design testimonials in the back of the journal for a quick confidence boost based on what clients have already said about you.

Why should I handwrite in a journal instead of typing on a computer?

You’ll get far more impact by manually writing your answers to the three daily questions. Handwriting harnesses all your senses and creates profound, priceless results that last a lifetime. Choose a journal small enough to travel with you and keep it in your purse or work tote for quick reference.

What should I delegate in my interior design business?

Delegate what you’re not good at, whether it’s outsourcing to an assistant in real time or online talent. Focus on your strengths and save your attention for the $1K tasks, not the $10 tasks. Bragging about doing it all yourself isn’t how you get ahead and grow your interior design practice.

About Melissa Galt

Melissa Galt is a sought-after business coach, marketing consultant, and keynote speaker who empowers designers to build highly profitable businesses without the burnout. Drawing on three decades as principal of her own successful residential design firm, she helps creative professionals earn more in less time, with less stress.

She is the author of four bestselling books, including Marketing Luxury Design, The Language of Success, Design Discovery, and Proximity to Profits. She also hosts the weekly Design Business Freedom™ podcast, sharing unfiltered advice on mindset, money, and marketing for interior design pros ready to elevate their game. When you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, book a complimentary Design Business Assessment with Melissa.