The main difference between confidence and overconfidence is that confidence comes from a sense of self-assurance and certainty, while overconfidence comes from the overestimation of one’s skills and abilities.
Confidence comes from your pride and belief in your own skills, abilities, and achievements. Overconfidence is being excessively or unjustifiably confident. Being confident is a very good trait, but being overconfident is not. Sometimes, it is only a very fine line between confidence and overconfidence.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Confidence
– Definition, Features
2. What is Overconfidence
– Definition, Features
3. Difference Between Confidence and Overconfidence
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Confidence, Overconfidence
What is Confidence
Confidence is the feeling of trust someone has in his or her own abilities, qualities, and judgement. In other words, confidence is the self-assurance that comes from an understanding of one’s abilities or qualities. It comes from true self-worth, pride, and belief in one’s own abilities and achievements. Confident people also possess a sense of inner calm that stems from their self-assurance.
Moreover, confident people are not blind to their own flaws and have no problem admitting to being wrong. This is because they are willing to learn from their flaws and mistakes. Moreover, confident people are aware that they don’t know everything and are happy to learn what they don’t know. They know that they are no better or worse than others. Therefore, they have no problem listening to others and learning from them. They also don’t act superior to others and boast about themselves.
What is Overconfidence
Overconfidence refers to being excessively and unjustifiably confident. Overconfident people often misjudge and overestimate their values, opinions, or abilities. Such people think that they are better at things than the reality of their skills and abilities would actually indicate. They also believe that they are better than other people; this involves comparing themselves to others regarding skill or ability and assuming (erroneously) that they are better. They may ignore the skills and abilities of others around them or show a distinct lack of interest in others. They may brag about their skills, talents and achievements and would love to talk about themselves a lot. Such people would also try to make others feel inferior, consciously or unconsciously. Overconfident people also think that they know everything.
As evident from the above description, the term overconfidence usually has a negative connotation. It often involves an offensive display of conceit, superiority, self-importance, and gross overestimation of one’s skills and abilities. A person who is overconfident in his/her abilities, however, is more likely to make mistakes than others.
Difference Between Confidence and Overconfidence
Definition
Confidence is a feeling of trust in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgement, while overconfidence is being excessively or unjustifiably confident.
Connotation
The word confidence has a positive connotation, whereas the word overconfidence has a negative connotation.
Skills and Abilities
Confident people have a good understanding of their skills and abilities but overconfident people overestimate their skills and abilities.
Reaction to Mistakes
Confident people aren’t afraid to admit their mistakes and are willing to learn from their mistakes. But overconfident people rarely admit their mistakes and will try to put the blame on someone else.
Behaviour
In addition, overconfident people often act as if they are superior to others but not confident people.
Others
Overconfident people may be overly concerned about what others think about them, but confident people are not much concerned about others’ opinions.
Root Cause
Overconfidence often stems from the overestimation of oneself, but confidence stems from self-assurance.
Decisions
When one is confident, he or she can make the correct decisions, but when one is overconfident, he or she is more likely to make the wrong decisions.
Conclusion
Confidence is a feeling of trust in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgement while overconfidence is being excessively or unjustifiably confident. The main difference between confidence and overconfidence is that confidence comes from a sense of self-assurance and certainty while overconfidence comes from an overestimation of one’s skills and abilities.
Reference:
1. White, Mary Gormandy. “Examples of Overconfidence.” Your Dictionary – Articles and Resources.
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