Self-esteem, self-confidence and overconfidence: Difference and how they affect life

What is self-esteem?

Self-esteem is a general idea of one's value and significance. It is formed in childhood and depends on many factors: upbringing, social environment, and personal experience.

A person with high self-esteem:

• Accepts themselves as they are, with all their strengths and weaknesses.
• She is not afraid of mistakes and criticism.
• Has stable emotional health and a sense of self-esteem.

Instead, low self-esteem can lead to feelings of insecurity, fear of new challenges, and dependence on the opinions of others.

What is self-confidence?

Self-confidence is the belief in one's ability to perform certain tasks or achieve goals. Unlike self-esteem, it is a more specific trait that can arise depending on the situation.

For example, you may be confident in your professional skills, but feel insecure when talking to new people.

People with self-confidence:

• Act decisively in their area of competence.
• They overcome the fear of failure faster.
• They learn from their own experience.

What is overconfidence?

Overconfidence is an excessive belief in one's abilities that is not always backed up by real knowledge or skills. It often manifests itself as:

• Ignoring criticism and opinions of others.
• Overestimating your own capabilities.
• Taking risks without adequate preparation.

Overconfidence can mislead a person about their own abilities, lead to mistakes and loss of trust on the part of others.

The main differences between the concepts

Source:

• Self-esteem is an internal sense of self-worth.
• Self-confidence is based on practical experience and achievements.
• Overconfidence is often an illusion that has no real basis.

Stability level:

• Self-esteem is stable and long-lasting.
• Confidence can change depending on the situation.
• Overconfidence often arises in the short term but is quickly lost due to failure.

Impact on life:

• High self-esteem impairs the harmonious development of the individual.
• Confidence in achieving specific goals.
• Overconfidence can lead to disappointments and losses.

What is the danger of confusing these concepts

When people confuse self-confidence with self-esteem, they run the risk of judging themselves based on their successes or failures.

For example, an unsuccessful job interview may seem like a sign of "insecurity," but it is only a temporary experience. Self-esteem should remain stable even after setbacks.

According to psychologist Abraham Maslow, a person with high self-esteem is not afraid of mistakes, because they know that mistakes are part of the path to growth.

A study by Oxford University showed that people with adequate self-esteem are more likely to succeed because their decisions are based on real possibilities rather than on the desire to impress.

According to researchers at the University of California, people with high self-esteem are more resistant to stress and are able to build long-lasting relationships.

Self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-assurance are of great importance in a person's life. It is important to develop stable self-esteem, which will become the basis for adequate self-confidence.

By avoiding overconfidence, you can build harmonious relationships with yourself and others while remaining open to development and change.

Earlier, we wrote about which two habits will help you succeed in any business.

And we also talked about which character traits help a person to get rich.

The following sources were used while writing the material: Abraham Maslow's articles on human needs and self-esteem, research by Oxford University, American Psychological Association, Psychology Today.