Self-confidence can be defined as feeling certain and assured of one’s own abilities. This is certainly a good quality to have if you want to be more successful. In fact it’s hard to be a success without it. When a person is confident in their abilities they are also going to be more optimistic about their future. Yet most of us, including myself, could stand having a bit more. Being playful increases your self-confidence.
The reason is that when you are operating from a playful perspective you are more interested in the process than the product. When you maintain a playful frame of mind you’re likely to be more concerned with the journey than where you eventually end up. Like a great road trip; what happens along the way is at least as important as where you’re going. You can see this watching children play; they are like budding scientists and explorers, equipped with curiosity and sense of adventure. They try any number of things, experimenting with a variety of approaches. This sort of spirited exploration leads to an accumulation of successful experiences. These successes in turn help to increase a person’s optimism and self-confidence.
The Playful Life 