Lisa Sun is the founder and CEO of the fashion brand Gravitas and author of “Gravitas: The 8 Strengths That Redefine Confidence.” Her work aims to encourage women to find their inner confidence and overcome self-doubt and limiting beliefs to thrive. We asked her about her book and for advice for those wishing to become more confident.
The Epoch Times: What inspired you to write your book, “Gravitas: The 8 Strengths That Redefine Confidence”?
Lisa Sun: I wrote the book I most needed myself. This is the book that I would have wanted to give to my 12-year-old self when I first learned what the word “chubby” meant; my 22-year-old self after my first professional review when I was told that I “lacked gravitas”; my 32-year-old self when I was fired for the first time; and my 41-year-old self, who was on the verge of giving up during the COVID-19 pandemic. I wrote this book to challenge the narrow, traditional definitions of confidence and help people—especially women—discover and embrace their own unique superpowers in an exclusive and empowering way.
After spending years working with clients through my fashion label Gravitas, I realized that many people didn’t feel “confident enough” because they didn’t fit a single mold. I want to give readers a new framework to understand that confidence isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Through research, client stories, and the eight confidence strengths we’ve identified, I want to help people unlock a more inclusive, authentic version of confidence from the inside out.
Ms. Sun: I always say, “We’re all born fully self-confident.” Nine-year-old Lisa wanted to be president or chief justice of the Supreme Court (who knows—there’s still time!), but as we grow up, six forces start to show up that drive our inner critic. This inner critic can hold us back and allow fear, doubt, and insecurity to be at the forefront of how we live our lives. But when we give it dimension and when we name exactly what’s driving it, we’re able to take away its power.
I woke up with all six forces this morning, so it’s still a work in progress and always will be, but now that I know the antidote, I have the tools to pull out my reserves of power and superpowers that make me confident in my own unique way. Every one of us has moments of doubt throughout the day. That’s why gravitas is an approach to tapping into your own power. I always say, “Confidence is a choice and a mindset before it becomes a behavior.”
For my book, we conducted a quantitative study that revealed eight superpowers that are the foundation of confidence. Most of us have two to three of them. (You can take a quiz at MyConfidenceLanguage.com to get a self-affirming inventory of your own superpowers). Those eight are:
- Leading: You like being in charge. You’re a natural-born leader.
- Performing: You love being the center of attention. Extroverted.
- Achieving: You love setting goals and working to achieve and/or exceed them. You like a challenge.
- Giving: You enjoy helping others, are a great listener, and people come to you for support.
- Knowing: You live by the motto “knowledge is power.” Best example of this is the three black women in the movie “Hidden Figures.”
- Creating: You can create something out of nothing.
- Believing: You are a calming force in groups and an optimist.
- Self-Sustaining: You don’t feel like you have to prove yourself or impress anyone.
Once you figure out your own unique combination of superpowers, it’s your own “confidence language”—the basis of why you should believe in yourself, why you’ve been successful. It’s your own formula for self-assuredness and success.
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