Ian Robertson, a Professor Emeritus in Psychology at Trinity College and author of "How Confidence Works," dives into the neuroscience behind confidence. He explains how confidence can alleviate anxiety and discusses the dangers of overconfidence. The conversation highlights practical strategies to boost self-assurance, the 'Oscar effect' linking success with longevity, and the idea of reframing anxiety as excitement. Robertson also addresses the complexities of confidence related to gender, race, and class, offering insights to help overcome confidence saboteurs.
Confidence enhances brain function, improves mood, and is contagious, positively impacting both personal success and the people around you.
Managing anxiety effectively is crucial for building confidence, as reframing anxious feelings as excitement can encourage risk-taking and enhance self-efficacy.
Overconfidence poses risks such as poor decision-making, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and mindfulness to maintain a balanced sense of confidence.
Deep dives
The Power of Confidence
Confidence is a critical mental attribute that can lead to enhanced success in various aspects of life, including health, happiness, and innovation. It influences brain function by improving mood and performance while also being contagious, thereby positively affecting those around you. Developing confidence involves cultivating a belief in one's abilities and the likelihood of positive outcomes, effectively shaping a proactive stance toward future challenges. This belief stems from past successes and is essential for overcoming anxiety and uncertainty.
The Nature of Confidence
Confidence is defined by two interrelated beliefs: self-efficacy, or the belief in one's capability to perform tasks, and outcome expectations, or the belief that such actions will lead to desired results. The intersection of these beliefs creates different psychological states, such as apathy when neither belief is present and confidence when both are affirmative. A key component of confidence is that it should be based on real experiences rather than irrational self-belief, creating a realistic approach to future goals and challenges. By setting achievable targets that stretch one's abilities, individuals can progressively build their confidence through small successes.
Anxiety's Role in Confidence
Anxiety is identified as one of the greatest threats to confidence, as it leads to avoidance behaviors and a diminished ability to take action. Individuals with high anxiety often become preoccupied with perceived threats, which can escalate physiological tensions in the body, creating a cycle of fear and inaction. It's essential to manage anxiety by focusing on positive outcomes and engaging in actions that promote confidence through gradual exposure to challenging situations. Furthermore, reframing anxiety as excitement can transform the perception of stressful situations, encouraging people to embrace the feelings associated with risk-taking and new experiences.
Factors Affecting Confidence
Social factors such as gender, race, and class can significantly impact an individual's confidence levels, often due to the internalization of negative stereotypes. Research indicates that awareness of such stereotypes can distract from performance and diminish self-efficacy among marginalized groups. Combatting these effects involves actively distancing oneself from 'confidence saboteurs' and fostering a supportive environment that encourages self-affirmation. Authentic success rooted in intrinsic goals rather than external validation can bolster confidence and promote a healthier self-image.
Overcoming Overconfidence
While confidence is valuable, there exists a risk of overconfidence, which can lead to poor decision-making and failure to recognize threats. Maintaining a level of self-awareness and practicing mindfulness can help mitigate the dangers of overconfidence by allowing individuals to step back and evaluate their thoughts and feelings objectively. Techniques such as journaling or reflecting on core values can anchor one's sense of self to deeper principles, reducing reliance on external validation. This balance creates a healthy relationship with confidence, characterized by realistic goal-setting and an openness to learning from failure.
What confidence does to your brain, why it helps with anxiety, and how to get it if you don't already have it. Plus, the problem with overconfidence.
Ian Robertson is a Professor Emeritus in Psychology at Trinity College and was the founding director of Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience. He has written five books, the latest of which is called, How Confidence Works.
In this episode we talk about:
What confidence actually is
How to boost confidence
The dangers of overconfidence, and how to guard against it
The role of anxiety and failure
The "Oscar effect”, and why winners tend to live longer
How to reframe anxiety as excitement
The role of gender, race, and class on confidence levels
The importance of distancing yourself from confidence saboteurs
