The Simple Dollar » Ten Unusual Ways to Improve Your Appearance of Confidence That Really Work
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/07/20/ten-unusual-ways-to-improve-your-appearance-of-confidence/
Humans prefer cockiness to expertise - life - 10 June 2009 - New Scientist
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227115.500-humans-prefer-cockiness-to-expertise.html

Psychology

Why is this no big surprise? "EVER wondered why the pundits who failed to predict the current economic crisis are still being paid for their opinions? It's a consequence of the way human psychology works in a free market, according to a study of how people's self-confidence affects the way others respond to their advice."

good stuff

In the low self-esteem group, those who repeated the mantra felt worse afterwards compared with others who did not. However people with high self-esteem felt better after repeating the positive self-statement - but only slightly. The psychologists then asked the study participants to list negative and positive thoughts about themselves. They found that, paradoxically, those with low self-esteem were in a better mood when they were allowed to have negative thoughts than when they were asked to focus exclusively on affirmative thoughts. Writing in the journal, the researchers suggest that, like overly positive praise, unreasonably positive self-statements, such as "I accept myself completely," can provoke contradictory thoughts in individuals with low self-esteem. Such negative thoughts can overwhelm the positive thoughts.

BBC NEWS | Health

Repeating affirmations which are, in your perception, not true will not actually help. Just the opposite, in fact.

A UK psychologist said people based their feelings about themselves on real evidence from their lives.