Which is more damaging....... lack of confidence or overconfidence?

Answer 1

Love how ragdefender & James P give the same answer from different sides.

Trying to do more than you can may be foolish.
But it beats the hell out never trying.

Which of course makes the overconfident far more capable of doing damage, since they are far more capable of doing EVERYTHING.

I get that over confidence is a double edged sword.
But Darwin deals harsly with the unarmed.

Answer 2

Lack of confidence. At least the overconfident one has a chance of doing it right despite the fact that he made mistakes. The one without confidence, in the effort not to make any mistakes, don't even try.

Answer 3

The most damaging of the two, is Overconfidence, because when you trust someone a lot and then find out he/she did something to you she/he, should not have, is because of overconfidence on my part.

Answer 4

It's a good question.

I'm sure Hitler, Stalin, Pinochet, Mao were very confident people, confident in their own sense of self-righteousness when they murdered millions of unlucky people.

Perhaps if they had a bit of self doubt they would have hesitated and given some real thought to what they were doing.

So in my opinion, overconfidence is way more damaging.

Answer 5

I like this Q.
I also wanted to add that I like Tuugaalik's answer. I think overconfidence IS compensating your own self doubts. You keep telling yourself your decisions are the correct ones and all others are wrong. It is a false image. But first let me answer your question. I believe that lack of confidence will lead you to indecisions. If you are overconfident you may make mistakes, but nonetheless you move forward. Having said that, I think in reality we all have some self doubt. I think the key is to recognize those doubts and fight through it. It is like the famous saying "Courage is not the absence of Fear but taking action despite your Fear". (I believe it was Mark Twain). Substitute Self Doubt=Fear, Courage=Confidence.
So the saying will be changed to "Confidence is not the absence of Self-Doubt but taking action despite your Self Doubt".

Thank you for teaching me. Your questions forces me to introspect and try to take action.

EDIT: I think Phoenix Quill, James P, and ragdefender gave similar answers.

Answer 6

Very good and heart touching.You expressd five types of feelings in few words properly with example.You have made embody and visible to abstract and unvisible feelings with familier examples.Thanks a lot sir.I cant say confidently that you are always good but I can say confidently here you are the best. Plz take it as healthy appreciation. Point 5- I can do-it is confidence,but only I can do -it is over confidence.

Answer 7

overconfidence, coz u shut down all the channels of learning by thinking ur the best.
lack of confidence can be cured over time, with experiance.

Answer 8

just to add a note...many people that have confidence issues that i have seen personally...overconfidence is actually a lack of confidence...its the same thing...just the outward expression is different.

flip-flopping...is a lack of confidence

micromanaging...is a lack of confidence in others...and ones managing skills.

alcoholism and substance abuse...is a lack of confidence to control oneself without a crutch.

anger management issues...same deal.
they overcompensate with anger because they arent confident.

many phobias arise from a lack of confidence...

clingingness...etc.

Answer 9

If you are a natural person you should try cognitive behavioral therapy. It was the only thing that has helped me with my horrible health anxiety. Read here https://tr.im/fkcFK

Your thinking determines your quality of life. Your thinking is what causes you these feelings:

Anxious, fearful, stressed or depressed
Constantly worried, or angry about something that is happening in your life
Struggling to overcome obsessive and negative thoughts.

If you change your thinking, you will change your life. This is the basic idea behind CBT for anxiety. The Cognitive part is where you learn nee methods and ways to change your same old habits and thinking patterns. If you keep thinking and expecting the worst – You will continue to suffer.

Answer 10

I think an emotional and social Cripple is just as destructive as lacking self confidence.