Definition and Description of Confidence

'You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go.' - Dr. Seuss. The dictionary naturally defines confidence as “freedom of doubt and belief in yourself and your abilities”. To me, confidence is not something anyone can teach you that. It’s about what you see when you look in the mirror and recognize the power you have inside of you. Altogether, you can explain confidence in many numerous ways. I feel that I know the best way to do so.

For example, confidence isn’t about being cocky or flamboyant; it’s more so how you present yourself and go about difficult situations in your life. It’s not something where you fear self-doubt and express hesitation to make a move on something. And it is not a trait where you sit and wait for the “big” move. Confidence is a trait where you don’t dread conflict or feedback, but you embrace it. Confident people can accept feedback and act on it positively. Confidence allows you to be able to move freely without a care and doubt in the world no matter the outcome or effect.

Nonetheless, when you are confident, you are comfortable with change. Good self-confidence makes you enthusiastic in seeking out new opportunities and allows you to be comfortable with new ideas, embrace them fully. Furthermore, confidence is playing a role in being goal-oriented. This means that you are focused-on self-improvement and success which allow you to have a sense of purpose & direction. As a result, you approach things confidently. And in addition to that, confidence is directly related to people who are driven to succeed. When you are confident, everything comes easy, so having challenges and disappointments on a journey doesn’t detour you from it but causes you to go harder. Because of the faith you have in yourself that you are going to overcome it. Confidence means you’re able to fail and get back up and try it again. It’s knowing that everything is okay if I fall a hundred times I just know I have it in me that I’m going to get back up a hundred and one times.

Therefore, how would you define confidence at this point? Would it be safe to mention that “confidence is simply a magnet that pulls paperclips and cockiness is like two positive magnets that repel each other”? Confidence is like a line. Some days you genuinely have it and it’s maxed out; then some days it’s in the middle. Then there are those days when confidence is like looking for your favorite socks, and you just can’t find them but, you must go about your day. Confidence is a bonsai tree. Its branches take ages to grow, and when they do, it’s a beautiful thing. But in the wrong situation or hands, it won’t last long.

In the end, Confidence is one of those things that only you can define. Once again, as the great Dr. Seuss once said “…You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go'. Confidence is primarily about what you see in yourself and knowing the power and potential you have. Confidence can’t be defined by realities expectations, only yours.