Confidence in STEM is often talked about as something you either have or you do not. It can feel like a fixed trait, something visible in the way people speak, present ideas, or carry themselves in professional spaces. For those who do not immediately recognise themselves in that image, it can create the impression that confidence is something to catch up on before truly belonging.
In reality, confidence rarely appears fully formed. It develops gradually, shaped by experience, environment, and the small moments that build familiarity over time.
Confidence is something I have seen develop both in industry and in academia, as well as in my own experience. It rarely appears suddenly. More often, it builds through small, repeated moments. Answering a question, even when unsure. Speaking up once, then a little more the next time. Realising that not knowing something is part of learning, not a sign of being out of place. Over time, those moments begin to shift how comfortable you feel in the space you are in.
For many people in STEM, confidence is not about becoming louder or more certain. It is about becoming more comfortable. Comfortable asking questions, even when they feel obvious. Comfortable contributing ideas, even when they are not fully formed. Comfortable existing in spaces that may once have felt unfamiliar. This kind of confidence often grows quietly.
It is easy to assume that confidence should look a certain way. Speaking without hesitation, always having the answer, leading discussions, or presenting ideas with certainty. While that is one form of confidence, it is not the only one.
There are other forms that are less visible but equally important. Listening carefully and contributing thoughtfully. Taking time to think before responding. Returning to a problem until it makes sense. Asking for clarification rather than pretending to understand. These are all signs of engagement, curiosity, and resilience, even if they do not always read as confidence at first glance.
In many cases, confidence follows belonging rather than the other way around. As people begin to feel more comfortable in their environment, confidence develops naturally. It becomes easier to speak, to share ideas, and to take up space in ways that feel authentic rather than forced.
That process is rarely linear. There are times when it feels easier, and others where doubt returns unexpectedly, even after progress has been made. This is a normal part of growth, not a step backwards. Over time, confidence becomes less about proving something to others and more about recognising your own place within the space you are in.
It also becomes less about comparison. In STEM, it is easy to look around and assume that others are more capable, more certain, or further ahead. What is often less visible is that many people are navigating similar uncertainties, even if they present differently on the surface.
Confidence does not require you to change who you are in order to belong. It does not require you to adopt a different personality or to fit into a specific idea of what an engineer, scientist, or technologist should be. It grows when you are able to work in a way that feels natural to you, while gradually stretching your comfort zone.
For some, that might mean speaking up more often. For others, it might mean trusting their thinking, even when it is different from those around them. It might mean asking questions sooner, sharing ideas earlier, or allowing themselves to be seen without needing everything to be perfect. These are small shifts, but they accumulate over time.
Confidence also benefits from the same idea explored earlier in the year: bringing your whole self into your role. When you do not feel the need to hide parts of who you are, it becomes easier to engage more fully with your work and the people around you. Identity, belonging, and confidence are closely linked, each one supporting the others.
There is no single way to be confident in STEM. It does not need to be loud, visible, or constant. It can be quiet, developing steadily in the background as experience grows and familiarity increases.
A Final Thought
Confidence is not something you need to achieve before you belong. It is something that grows as you continue to show up, learn, and engage over time.
It is allowed to be gradual. It is allowed to look different from one person to another. And it is allowed to develop in a way that feels natural to you.
Confidence is not something you wait for. It is something that grows as you go.
Comments
many people assume they need to feel confident before they can contribute, when actually confidence often develops through participation and experience
This described my experience in STEM almost perfectly. I really appreciated the focus on quieter forms of confidence because they are rarely talked about.