My mission with the Rainmaker podcast and all the sales coaching I do is to help you build stability, confidence, and freedom in your life while also giving you a place of belonging. If you are a super driven person who doesn’t seem to fit in with the normal crowd, you fit in here.

Today, I want to break down confidence in sales. We all see those people who exude it—they have a glimmer, a sparkle, a swagger—and we wish we felt that way. The good news is that building Loan officer confidence is a lifetime affair, and it is something you can build and control.

What is Enduring Confidence in Sales?

I define confidence as a belief and an attitude that says, “I can handle this.” It is the deep-seated security that no matter what the circumstances or challenge, things will eventually work out positively.

It is dangerous when we sit still and get locked in our heads, allowing fear to build inertia. The minute you get into motion, that energy, momentum, and sense of well-being dramatically improve. The quickest path to feeling better and building momentum is simply to get in motion. Get the focus off yourself and onto others—go out, serve somebody, and solve a problem. That action will immediately boost your self-belief.

While we all have situational confidence (moments where we feel like, give me the ball, I got this!), the goal is to build enduring confidence. That means remaining secure enough to move forward.

The three pillars of enduring confidence are: Remain Authentic, Remain in Action, and Adapt.

What Are Shayla’s 6 Tips for Keeping Loan Officer Confidence in Sales High?

Building sustained confidence means shifting from hoping you feel good to knowing you’re prepared. The six tips below form a strategic framework aimed at transforming your self-doubt into unshakeable self-trust by focusing on action, competence, and a powerful mindset.

Tip 1: Master the Capability vs. Lovability Dynamic

A person’s natural confidence often comes from feeling they are either lovable or capable. Some people, like my husband Galen, simply feel lovable and inherently deserving.

However, most Rainmakers—high-achieving, driven individuals—gain their deepest Loan officer confidence by feeling competent (capable). If you give me a task or a challenge, I am confident that I can work hard and figure it out. If you are looking to grow your self-belief, focus on expanding your competence. This approach helps you maintain your footing, even when exploring tricky areas like vulnerability in sales.

Tip 2: Build Competence in Key Confidence Challenges

Confidence is not just about your mindset; it’s about having competence in the tough situations that define a top loan officer. You need to build your ability to handle:

• Overcoming the Fear of Rejection: The competence to make the cold call even when you fear a “no.”
• Handling the Rate Shopper: Do you feel competent breaking down the competitor’s quote, re-educate your client on the market, and confidently state why you are the right choice?
• Owning Your Schedule: Having the discipline and Loan officer confidence to stick to your time blocks, rather than living in chaos.
• Tough Conversations: The confidence required for firing bad partners, bad clients, or teammates.

Tip 3: Reframe Rejection with the “Not Now” Rule

What is the worst-case scenario when you reach out? They say no. But is that really scary? We can reframe it.

Change your mental script: reframe rejection as “not now” or “not the right time.” This shifts the negative outcome from a permanent personal failure to a temporary logistical issue.

The Borrowing Belief Technique

If you feel completely small or insecure about a specific task (e.g., public speaking, raising prices), try to borrow belief from someone else.

1. Identify the Model: Find someone who is extraordinarily confident doing the task you fear.
2. Get Curious: Ask yourself: What is their perspective on this? What are they thinking that I’m not?
3. Reverse Engineer: Study their approach, their framing, and their point of view.
4. Visualize the Positive: Counter your negative thoughts by focusing on positive scenarios: What if that person just lost their lender? What if they need a second opinion right now?

Tip 4: Leverage the “Act As If” Confidence Hacks

Your body language is a neurological signal to your brain. To instantly boost your confidence in sales, use the Act As If philosophy.

• The Athlete’s Stance: Before a meeting, adopt the athlete’s stance . Stand with your shoulders back, chin up, eyes forward, smiling. You are sending signals that you are capable and ready.
• Open Body Language: When you walk into a room, keep your arms uncrossed, make eye contact, and smile. This signals to others that you are calm, relaxed, open, and safe to be around.
• Preparation and Visualization: The more you prepare, the more your anxiety reduces. Visualize the entire presentation flow, how you want the client to feel, and the desired outcome.

Tip 5: Define Your Ideal Outcome with the 5X Principle

To maximize your results without working 5X the hours, you must approach every meeting with your ideal outcome clearly defined.

A low-level goal is simply getting the client pre-approved. A 5X goal is defining multiple high-value outcomes for every meeting. For a pre-approval meeting, aim for:

1. A verbal commitment to work with you.
2. Moving their file to a TBD credit approval.
3. The client texting their real estate agent and raving about the meeting.
4. Receiving a referral from the client during the meeting.
5. Producing a referral (CPA, insurance agent) for the client.

With focus and preparation, you can deliver the feeling and results you want.

Tip 6: Sell Your Character and Keep Your Promises

People choose you because they like you and stay with you because you deliver on your character.

When you lack experience, sell your character. I told agents I would work my butt off, run through walls, and try any strategy to help the client win. Whatever is natural and true for you—whether it’s your work ethic, competitive drive, or exceptional care—that is your defining point of Loan officer confidence, and it is enough. This focus helps you attract people with aligned values and avoid the trap of sales ego vs service.

Finally, you need to learn to trust yourself. The way you do that is by making and keeping promises. Be careful with extreme promises made out of eagerness (“I’ll get it done in an hour!”). People are okay with whatever timeline you set, so long as you deliver. Own your mistakes, make adjustments, and improve your system—that is how you build self-trust and enduring confidence.

Your Path to Enduring Loan Officer Confidence (Conclusion)

Wherever you are in your level of confidence, I pray that you get into action. Lead with your heart, walk in with that body language and that smile and that swagger, and give it your best.

The only regret you will live with is if you played small, if you hunkered in the corner, and if you didn’t really step into the light that you fully are.

I hope you have a confident, awesome day. If you’re looking to dive deeper into this topic, be sure to check out our mortgage coaching resources and listen to The Mortgage Rainmaker mortgage podcast.