Do not trust those who believe themselves too much

Who is the most confident person you know?

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”)

Those who show supreme confidence often are masking an extreme inferiority complex. There is a very thin line also between confidence and arrogance, and there are too many people who believe those who exude confidence when in fact they are simply scared little children in an adult body.

Have the courage to admit that the way you formerly thought was actually wrong. When confronted by facts, admit that your former beliefs were mistaken. Be able to change your mind and have the strength to challenge your beliefs. Confidence is not always a positive attribute. Confident people can often be wrong, and those who are not confident should not be easily dismissed.

I am not confident all the time, and I instinctively am suspicious of those who are always confident. I prefer those who are circumspect about their abilities and have a back up plan just in case their guess is inaccurate. That is why I always suspect the “con man” — which stands for “confidence man” of course, the person who would have you believe that they are so supremely confidence that they, and only they, can fix everything and make everything all right.

Confidence is overrated. Hesitation and self-reflection should be elevated. The truly confident recognize their own flaws and own them.