Taking the Leap: Corinna Stringer of Wings of Success On How To Learn To Believe In Yourself
An Interview with Savio P. Clemente
Eliminate fear — on average we spend 6 years of our life worrying and fearing things that may or may not happen… Let just take that leap of faith instead.
Starting something new is scary. Learning to believe in yourself can be a critical precursor to starting a new initiative. Why is it so important to learn to believe in yourself? How can someone work on gaining these skills? In this interview series, we are talking to business leaders, authors, writers, coaches, medical professionals, teachers, to share empowering insights about “How To Learn To Believe In Yourself.” As a part of this series we had the pleasure of interviewing Corinna Stringer.
Currently working on her passion educating Coaches, Consultants and Therapist to reconnect and re-align with their business within a safe and supportive environment. She helps Coaches, Consultants and Therapists to have more Clarity, increase their Confidence and generate more Cash Flow. Corinna resides in Essex as an entrepreneur, Business Alignment Coach, Multi Award Winning International Speaker, Hypnosis & Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner, Emotional Change Therapist, Investor and Author of the #1 Best Seller “Wings of Destiny” (How learning to let go can lease your inner power and be the key to your success) After experiencing challenges in her own life and businesses, she soon released that many other established business owners and start-up business owners were experiencing similar problems… Learning how to FORGIVE the past to BUILD their future and have the Clarity & Confidence in themselves to GROW. Overwhelm, imposter syndrome, not sleeping or eating well, stress, money worries, whom to trust, relationship breakdowns and so on can be hard and really impact our self-belief… The one thing that kept her going was remembering her WHY and never letting go of her passion to help others. After breaking through her own challenges and facing some life changing experiences, she realised the power of her own mind and by implementing strategies, she learned, adjusted, and adapted in how to deal with her emotions in a more powerful way, setting the foundations for her success. Now she helps others how to reconnect with their inner power, removing blocks which are holding them back in their business and in life, supporting and educating so they can continue to achieve greatness even during challenging times. Prior to starting her coaching and speaking journey she was working in travel for 20 years including 8 years as air cabin crew. Corinna would love to serve you and believes that in both business and in life, we all have the ability to “Believe in our wings and fly!”
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
I grow up in London, UK, Growing up with a single parent, I learned to look after myself from a young age. I didn’t have the best relationship with my mother as would constantly put me down and at school I was also bullied.
I loved the escape to my grandparents’ house every weekend and during the school holidays, they were so supportive, I am grateful to have had them in my life.
What or who inspired you to pursue your career? We’d love to hear the story.
My grandparents, they were extremely hard-working business owners and my grandad would often take me to the markets and boot sales. My nan had a dress shop and she taught me all about money management.
Watching them in business inspired me and I always said growing up that I didn’t want to work for someone else, in 2013, I started my cleaning company and one day I googled “how to promote my business online” an opportunity came up and I was introduced to a new world of business and this also led me into public speaking, I met so many different business owners and the thing that I realized was that having the right mindset and being open to new opportunities is so important.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Over working and saying yes to many things at once. I love what I do so I tend to work all hours.
I was speaking at an event so I booked a hotel the night before so that I could be organized, bright early. When I arrived to the hotel, they knew nothing about the event, when I checked I realized that I had booked the wrong hotel, 45 mins away. My lesson was not to take on so my opportunities at once and to take a step back and prioritize so that you do not compromise the important things.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?
I am working a new experience retreat to help business owners have more confidence and understand their brand image. Also, in the process of writing my 2nd book.
OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the core focus of our interview. This will be intuitive to you but it will be helpful to spell this out directly. Can you help explain a few reasons why it is so important to believe in yourself? Can you share a story or give some examples?
I believe that it is essential to have belief in yourself in business. Growing up I had very little self-belief but I always had the drive and determination. However, the lack of self-belief would always pull me back. Until I heard a speaker say “if you don’t believe in yourself right now, borrow someone else’s belief in you until you find your own” it was only then that I realized the power of community and just how much support I had around me. With their support I become more certain in my abilities, this gave me more confidence and in turn I started to believe in myself a little more each day.
What exactly does it mean to believe in yourself? Can I believe that I can be a great artist even though I’m not very talented? Can I believe I can be a gold medal Olympic even if I’m not athletic? Can you please explain what you mean?
Believing in yourself means having confidence and trust in your abilities, strengths, and judgment. It means having a positive and realistic self-image, as well as an unwavering belief that you can achieve your goals despite challenges, setbacks, and obstacles.
While it’s important to have confidence in yourself, it’s also important to recognize your strengths and weaknesses realistically. If you want to be a great artist but don’t feel you have much talent, you can still develop your skills through practice, education, and experience. Similarly, if you want to become an Olympic gold medalist but don’t currently have much athletic ability, you can still work hard to develop your physical strength, endurance, and technique.
Believing in yourself means recognizing that success is not solely determined by talent or natural ability, but also by hard work, dedication, and persistence. It means setting realistic goals for yourself and then working towards them with passion and determination, even when things get tough.
Was there a time when you did not believe in yourself? How did this impact your choices?
Yes, growing up I had very little self-belief. It held me back from making decisions however, we are all on a journey of discovery and I feel that my past and my story will help inspire others.
At what point did you realize that in order to get to the next level, it would be necessary to build up your belief in yourself? Can you share the story with us?
Because of my lack of belief, I would always try to “fit in” “play small” but I realized that it wasn’t going to get me anywhere. A mentor of mine once said “Why to you try so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?”
Have you ever felt like you don’t fit in?
Well, that’s how I felt, and from that moment I finally had permission to be different, to be me, to be unique and when I started to embrace ME everything started to change.
What are your top 5 strategies that will help someone learn to believe in themselves? Please share a story or example for each.
1 . Surround yourself with the right people — people who will lift you up and hold you accountable (borrow someone else’s belief in you until you find your own)
2 . Feed your mind with positive thoughts, Gratitude for who you are and who you have become
3 . Celebrate your wins and achievements — look back and list 10 things that you have achieved in your life and reward yourself
4 . Eliminate fear — on average we spend 6 years of our life worrying and fearing things that may or may not happen… Let just take that leap of faith instead.
5 . Work on your strengths and also be grateful for your weaknesses. We have much to learn and much to teach and these make us who we are.
Video: https://youtu.be/4X5oshm5XQ4
Conversely, how can one stop the negative stream of self-criticism that often accompanies us as we try to grow?
Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer a friend who is struggling. This means acknowledging your imperfections and mistakes without judging or criticizing yourself.
Challenge negative thoughts: When you notice negative self-talk, challenge those thoughts with evidence to the contrary. Ask yourself, “Is this thought really true?” or “What evidence do I have to support or refute this thought?”
Reframe negative thoughts: Try to reframe negative thoughts into more positive, constructive ones. Instead of saying, “I’m not good enough,” try saying, “I’m not where I want to be yet, but I’m working towards improvement.”
Focus on progress, not perfection: Instead of striving for perfection, focus on making progress towards your goals. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small, and use them as motivation to keep moving forward.
Practice mindfulness: Be present in the moment and observe your thoughts without judgment. Acknowledge negative thoughts, but don’t dwell on them. Instead, redirect your attention to the present moment and focus on positive actions you can take to move forward.
Are there any misconceptions about self-confidence and believing in oneself that you would like to dispel?
Yes, I believe Self-confidence is not the same as arrogance or narcissism: While self-confidence involves having a positive self-image and belief in one’s abilities, it does not mean being egotistical or putting others down.
Believing in yourself does not mean ignoring limitations: While it’s important to have confidence in your abilities, it’s also important to recognize your strengths and weaknesses realistically. Believing in yourself means working towards your goals while acknowledging and addressing any challenges or limitations.
Self-confidence is not a fixed trait: Self-confidence can fluctuate depending on the situation and your level of experience. It’s important to recognise that self-confidence can be cultivated and improved over time with practice, education, and experience.
Self-confidence is not the only factor in success: While self-confidence is an important trait, it is not the only factor in achieving success. Hard work, dedication, perseverance, and a supportive environment also play important roles in achieving one’s goals.
What advice would you give to someone who is struggling with imposter syndrome?
As long as you are being your true and authentic YOU, how could you ever be an impostor.
The only person you can ever compare yourself to is the person you were yesterday. Keep growing and keep learning.
Ok, we are nearly done. You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
My mission is to inspire men and women to have confidence in their own, unique abilities. To work together to enhance each other’s strengths. I am a massive advocate for collaboration over competition.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them :-)
Mel Robbins — I love her brand and the way she simplifies her message. She is so down to earth and relatable.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Corinnastringerofficial on Facebook/ Instagram and Linkedin
Thank you for these really excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success.
About The Interviewer: Savio P. Clemente coaches cancer survivors to overcome the confusion and gain the clarity needed to get busy living in mind, body, and spirit. He inspires health and wellness seekers to find meaning in the “why” and cultivate resilience in their mindset. Savio is a Board Certified Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC, ACC), #1 best-selling author, syndicated columnist, podcaster, stage 3 cancer survivor, and founder of The Human Resolve LLC. He has interviewed notable celebrities and TV personalities and has been featured on Fox News, The Wrap, and has worked with Authority Magazine, Thrive Global, BuzzFeed, Food Network, WW and Bloomberg. Savio has been invited to cover numerous industry events throughout the U.S. and abroad. His mission is to provide clients, listeners, and viewers alike with tangible takeaways on how to lead a truly healthy, wealthy, and wise lifestyle. Savio pens a weekly newsletter in which he delves into secrets to living smarter by feeding your “three brains” — head
, heart
, and gut
— in the hope of connecting the dots to those sticky parts of our nature that matter to living our best life.
