7 Ways To Prove Yourself To Others

In any new interaction, you have to prove yourself no matter who you are, where you come from, or what you’ve done.

Because not everyone is going to know who you are, where you came, or what you’ve done.

And even if they do, there may be misinformation or misconceptions that you have to disprove.

You might think you’re the rare exception. Maybe you are. And if so, congratulations!

The rest of us mere mortals need to prove ourselves.

Yes, it can be challenging.

Yes, there are moments that can be frustrating.

Yes, you wish people would just trust you.

But sadly we’re creatures that have been conditioned by good and bad experiences. It’s hard to put a bad experience behind us and move forward. The next time we’re presented with a new experience we become wary.

So you have to ask yourself if the tables were turned, wouldn’t you scrutinize the other person?

Especially if they may potentially threaten something you value such as time, money, your own reputation, or someone you care about?

Proving yourself and getting people to trust you takes time.

But it is possible.

Below are some ways you can build trust. Of course, the situation you use them in may depend on the receiver’s level of skepticism and scars:

1. Proof by credentials: someone or an organization has vetted your abilities, and given you a degree or certificate proving that you completed or mastered something, and are therefore trustworthy.
2. Proof by association: being an active member of a reputable organization or company. Entry into it might have required you to build trust and prove yourself.
3. Proof by numbers: demonstrating through data such as scores or ratings that a third party has given you is another way to show proof that you are capable.
4. Proof by experience: providing people an experience that requires minimal commitment from them, and you go on to exceed their expectations during that experience is another way to prove yourself.
5. Proof by a referral: people may not believe you, but there may be someone in common that is trustworthy, and they are willing to listen to that person.
6. Proof by a neutral third-party: sometimes people need to know that the person or organization speaking on your behalf has no vested interest.
7. Proof by assurance: (similar to #4) people are afraid of taking a risk with an unknown person, especially if they have to put something on the line. Lower the stakes for them, by showing them that they don’t need to take a risk, and instead you will take on the risk.

As I said before these won’t work for everyone, and they are by no means foolproof, pun intended 😉

Often it takes time and energy from your end to understand the other person’s concerns. Then you can decide how much you want to invest in addressing those concerns, and if it’s worth it to get the outcome you desire.

Are there other techniques you’ve tried that have worked? Let me know in the comments below.

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