Self Confidence versus Arrogance
Self confidence is the ability to trust your own decisions and
instincts. People that posses a great amount of self confidence
are often successful, focused, and flexible individuals who can
handle any situation life may throw at them. A self confident
individual know he or she has the potential to take on the world
and come out on top.
Those that surround a self confident individual are made aware
of his or her nature by his or her actions. People that are self
confident prove so by their actions, not their words. If you
find yourself constantly trying to impress friends, family,
coworkers, or superiors by stating your self confidence, you
have clearly crossed the line into arrogance.
The difference between these two attributes are tremendously
different, but the line regarding the actions and attitudes of
these attributes is not clearly defined. Quite often,
individuals who are usually remarkably self confident cross the
line into clear arrogance without knowledge.
If your family, friends, coworkers, or superiors see you as
arrogant, all the positive attributes of your self confidence
has been thrown out the window. Instead of trying to impress
individuals through your words, impress them through your
actions. The old adage, "actions speak louder than words" is
quite evident in this case and should be taken literally.
Who are you more likely to trust, an individual who makes
outrageous claims and boasts or an individual who can prove he
or she can successfully execute the task at hand? Which one of
these individuals seems more trustworthy and will be valued
higher because he or she is able to get the job done without
feeling the need to boast or brag about a completed project or a
new conquest.
If you are unsure whether you come across as a self confident
individual or an arrogant fool who makes lofty claims but cannot
produce the end product, ask your friends, coworkers, or family
members. Carefully select your audience as choosing some
individuals, a parent perhaps, will skew the results of your
survey.
If you find that you come across as arrogant instead of polished
and self confident, rethink your method of approach. Instead of
boasting or bragging about your personal victories, find a way
to spotlight someone else's work. Take on a task that requires
group input and begin working as a full-fledged team member.
Carefully think about your statements when speaking with a
friend, family member, or colleague and do not bombard them with
negative comments or critiques and speaks highly of yourself.
Begin the process of transforming your arrogance into self
confidence. Think of self confidence as knowing you can complete
a goal and arrogance as telling everyone you will be able to
complete said goal in a taunting or boastful manner. Begin
reshaping your arrogance into self confidence by electing to
take on tasks or goals that you have not successfully completed
before. Instead of easily tackling the same project, branch out
and try something unrelated.
True self confidence will allow you to begin and finish this
project without worrying about your abilities in any area. Spend
more time on accomplishing goals than boasting about your
successes.
Once you have successfully make the transformation from
arrogant to self confident, you can have the opportunity to live
your life in a new fashion. If your arrogant ways has insulted
or belittled individuals in the past, strive to make amends of
the situation. Turn over a new leaf and work to remain self
confident without crossing over the boundary into arrogance
again. You will soon find possessing an attribute like self
confidence will get you far in the quest to complete your goals.