Here’s how Taylor Swift gained confidence — and how you can, too
By Minda Zetlin | Published: 2025-11-03 10:09:00 | Source: Inc.com
Can you learn to be more confident? Most of us know innately or from reading research that people who display greater confidence tend to be viewed as more capable and likable by others. There is no doubt that greater confidence can make you more successful. But how do you get there? Consider Taylor Swift and her confidence — or lack thereof when it comes to dancing.
We might think of Swift as a superstar who, to her fans, can do no wrong. But before the Eras tour, she spent years being criticized as a harsh, awkward and generally very bad dancer. She acknowledged these criticisms and laughed with her critics in the “” video.Get rid of it“, which she described as “a full-length music video of me.” Awkwardly, poorly danced.â€
Obviously, getting rid of him wasn’t really that easy. At least not according to choreographer Mandy Moore (not to be confused with singer W This is it we star of the same name). Moore choreographed the choreography for the Eras Tour as well as the very complex song “Ophelia’s fatevideo. When she first started working with Swift, the pop star was very shy about dancing. Moore said in a New York Times interview. “She had gotten a bad reputation for a long time for her dancing, so it was really in her head,” Moore recalls.
Moore helped Swift gain confidence in her dancing abilities. Here’s how I did it, and how it can work for you.
1. Start with yourself.
The first challenge was to get Swift out of her head. “We shifted the focus to how the movement actually looked in her body — the way she naturally wanted to move,” Moore said in the interview. “And then we fine-tuned that: ‘Okay, this looks a little weird with your shoulders,’ or ‘Let’s straighten your knee here.’”
When you feel unsure about a task or challenge, it’s always a good idea to go back to what feels natural and comfortable to you. This is a great place to start building your confidence because you likely have a lot of experience doing it and know you can do it well. Use this as your first building block and slowly add other challenges and tasks, increasing your skills as you go.
2. Get to work.
Swift is known for being an extraordinarily hard worker. prepared for her Three-hour Eras Tour offers By singing all the songs in the set list while running, brisk walking or jogging on the treadmill (depending on the tempo of the song). She also completed a three-month fitness training regime designed specifically for her.
Her fiancé, Travis Kelce, is still an NFL star at 36 years old, in part because he never skips any of the team’s grueling practices. But even Kelsey said he liked it Swift Sports And work ethic during the tour.
Moore agrees. “I really admire Taylor’s perseverance,” she said. “It works.” So§ difficult. Everything I put down, she picked it up
This may not be the most fun way to boost your self-confidence. But it’s undeniably effective. Putting in extra hours of work practicing your skills and honing your strengths will give you more confidence when you see those skills improving. It is one of the most reliable ways to increase your self-confidence.
3. Ask for help.
Dancing in public may be one of the most embarrassing things you can do. This can be a real challenge to your self-confidence, especially if you’re criticized the way Swift was. “The nature of this job is that I often see people — not just celebrities, but everyone — in very vulnerable situations,” Moore says. “Dance is so fragile, and that feeling is only amplified by how famous the person is. Some of these artists have been traumatized by dancing.”
How does Moore help them overcome their trauma? By turning dance into something they can love. “A lot of it is just walking into a room and saying, ‘Look, this is something I love, and you can love it, too!’” she said. “Teach them the love first and the steps later.” That’s a brilliant approach, and one that Swift likely couldn’t have come up with on her own. Fortunately, she turned to Moore for help.
A singer about to launch an international tour with 15 professional dancers knows she needs a choreographer to get the job done. But even if the task in front of you is smaller and less overt, seeking help from a coach, subject matter expert, mentor, or even a trusted colleague or friend can really help improve your confidence level. You can get constructive feedback on your work. You can practice your presentation or communication skills. This can give you the extra support you need to face the challenge in front of you with confidence that you can handle it, rather than fear that you can’t.
There’s a growing audience of Inc.com readers who receive a daily text from me with a self-care, motivational little challenge, or piece of advice. Often times, they’ll text me and we end up in a conversation. (Want to know more? It’s easy to try and you can easily cancel at any time. Here’s some information about texting and Special invitation for a two-month free trial.) Many of my subscribers are entrepreneurs or business leaders. They know the importance of feeling as confident as possible when they embark on a new challenge or role. Following Swift’s example can be a great way to get there.
The opinions expressed by Inc.com columnists here are their own, not those of Inc.com.
(tags for translation) Confidence
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