Confidence Reviewed by Psychology Today
{This article on self confidence would give a pathway for changing negative
to positive thoughts}
Confidence is a belief in oneself, the conviction that one has the ability
to meet life's challenges and to succeed—and the willingness to act
accordingly. Being confident requires a realistic sense of one’s
capabilities and feeling secure in that knowledge. Projecting confidence
helps people gain credibility, make a strong first impression, deal with
pressure, and tackle personal and professional challenges. It’s also an
attractive trait, as confidence helps put others at ease.
Confidence is not an innate, fixed characteristic. It’s an ability that can
be acquired and improved over time.
Social confidence can be developed by practicing in social settings.
Individuals can observe the structure and flow of any conversation before
jumping in, and they can prepare questions or topics to discuss ahead of
time.
Anxiety can take hold when people are plagued by self-doubt, so putting
themselves in and getting accustomed to the specific situation they fear
can assure people that nothing truly bad will happen. And the activity gets
easier with practice.
Outside of a social context, one can gain a sense of confidence from
personal and professional accomplishments. Continuing to set and meet goals
can enable the belief that one is competent and capable.
How can I improve my confidence on a daily basis?
Being confident means knowing that you can handle the emotional outcome of
whatever you’ll face. Begin by acknowledging every emotion, including
difficult emotions, rather than avoiding them. Speaking up for yourself,
limiting self-criticism, and other strategies can help build emotional
strength and confidence.
How do I build confidence in a specific domain?
Confidence is not all-encompassing: You can have high confidence in some
areas and low confidence in others. In whatever new domain you choose, hone
your skills and develop self-efficacy by watching others, practicing
yourself, and taking advice from the experts.
How can I develop mental strength?
Mental strength can help you overcome obstacles to develop confidence. Set
goals, shift negative thinking to realistic thinking, challenge yourself on
a daily basis, and learn to tolerate discomfort. These tips and others can
help gradually build mental strength.
How should I build confidence for a job interview?
It’s normal to feel nervous or insecure when being evaluated by
others—especially in a high-stakes situation. Doing research ahead of time
and demonstrating conscientiousness, reflecting on your faults so you can
share how you’ve learned from them, and being warm, complimentary, and
self-assured will build the foundation of a successful interview.
Overconfidence and Under confidence
A realistic appraisal of one's abilities enables people to strike a healthy
balance between too little and too much confidence. Too little confidence
can prevent people from taking risks and seizing opportunities—in school,
at work, or in their social life. Too much confidence can come off as
cockiness, arrogance, or narcissism. Overestimating one’s abilities might
also lead to problems such as failing to complete projects on time.
What’s the difference between confidence and narcissism?
Narcissism can be due to insecurities and defense mechanisms, while
confidence comes from self-awareness and the ability to tolerate and
reflect on one’s insecurities. Confidence instills a personal sense of
being capable and competent, while narcissism encompasses a sense of
superiority over others.
Why are we drawn to narcissists?
People like those who are higher in narcissism better than those who are
lower in narcissism, according to one recent study, and that may be because
people overestimate how much self-esteem narcissists have. Perceiving a
strong sense of confidence, which puts others at ease, may be the key to
narcissists’ appeal.
What are the reasons someone might have low confidence?
A few of the ingredients that determine a person’s confidence level include
genetics, temperament, cultural background, and early life experiences such
as parenting style or a past trauma. Although those elements are generally
out of our control, there are still plenty of ways to gain confidence
throughout our lives.
What are the costs of under confidence?
Under confidence can lead people to shy away from new opportunities—such as
a career shift or new romantic relationship—due to the fear of failure or
embarrassment. Reflecting on which opportunities are viable and the range
of possible outcomes can make sure that under confidence doesn’t prevent
people from achieving success.
How to Raise Confident Kids
Children—and especially adolescents—can struggle with insecurity and
self-doubt as they navigate academics, friendships, and romantic
relationships. But parents can play a part in providing their children with
the tools they need to develop self-confidence.
How do you raise confident children?
Although parents may understandably be tempted to help children solve every
challenge that comes their way, stepping back and letting kids solve
problems on their own can hone executive function skills, teach motivation,
and help instill a strong sense of self-agency and confidence.
How do you raise a confident teenager?
To instill self-confidence, parents can support adolescents’ goals, treat
mistakes as learning experiences and failure as evidence of trying,
encourage practice and persistence, and avoid unloading their worries onto
their children. These and other responses can help teens believe in
themselves.
How do you raise a confident daughter?
Acknowledge, reflect on, and trust your daughter’s feelings. By empathizing
with her emotions and trusting them, she will learn to do the same. If she
trusts how she feels, she will trust who she is. This will ideally allow
her to verbalize how she feels and work through challenges, rather than
acting out.
How do you raise a confident son?
Societal stereotypes still dictate that boys be tough, strong, and stoic.
But denying emotion and vulnerability can be harmful. Validating boys’
feelings, teaching them to channel anger into healthy outlets, and
encouraging them to ask for help when necessary, can set boys up to be
confident and successful.
K Rajaram IRS 201125
On Thu, 20 Nov 2025 at 05:01, Jambunathan Iyer <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Positive self-talk is essential for developing resilience,
> self-compassion, and optimism in our inner worlds. With the transformative
> power of positive self-dialogue, we can nurture our mental well-being and
> cultivate a mindset of growth and fulfillment. Such holistic practices
> always bring greater self-awareness and inner harmony. As you cultivate the
> habit of replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll pave the
> way for a more joyful, fulfilling, and meaningful life.
>
>
> *N Jambunathan , Chennai " What you get by achieving your goals is not as
> important as what you become by achieving your goals. If you want to live a
> happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things "*
>
>
>
--
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