On Self-Confidence

At times we meet someone, and after talking to them you want to say — in the good sense — “Now there’s a truly self-confident person” (not to be confused with “cocky,” where the meaning can cut both ways).

What is self-confidence? Money, ego, power? No. Self-confidence is our feelings. The feelings we have in the moment of failure. It’s also our experience, which tells us that we’ll keep losing, and that there will be plenty of losses. And that’s fine. We accept it and keep moving forward, no matter what. We’re sure we’ll handle it, that it won’t knock us off course or cause us unbearable pain. And we don’t care that other people might see us stumble, that someone might want to laugh at us. It doesn’t trouble us.

That, I think, is what self-confidence is. And we feel that energy coming off the person, like an aura spreading out around them. We feel calm and safe next to them.

Here’s to fearing no failure — and feeling steady and sure because of it! 😎