Confidence is Overrated

[Diana]

While i agree that courage is important, I disagree with the general idea Millman presents. I disagree because of who I am. I have always known I could do anything, whether I had done it or not. This is what might be called empowerment, and it is, as some say, a birthright of humankind. (Being empowered does not mean it makes anything easier—just possible.) 

If you believe you have the potential to do anything, then confidence is inherent in your subconscious and conscious mind. This kind of confidence does not become obnoxious. A person with this kind of confidence wants everyone to be empowered, and wants to share information because she isn't afraid of competition—she doesn't horde her "edge."

In one instance this thinking works. Which is, if you lack confidence for whatever reason, forge ahead with courage anyway. Out of this idea has risen sayings such as, Fake it til you make it. And it works. I would encourage everyone to do whatever it takes to keep empowering yourself. 

One dichotomy I see in today's world is about competition and quality. In the past, and I will use publishing (books) as an example, competition created an environment where standards were so high to get a book published, the quality was in general extremely high. You hardly ever saw a typo for instance. Now, self-publishing has become affordable to everyone. The market is now flooded with mediocre and sometimes downright awful stuff (Fifty Shades a good example). So competition served us in that writers really pushed themselves to reach potential. On the one hand, we have the opportunity to express ourselves in just about any way we want and that's great. But a s result of a society that rewards mediocrity, people just don't try that hard.

So my final advice is this: Whatever you do, do your absolute best. Always. There is a great freedom in this, and peace.