4 Biggest Misconceptions About Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is something that many of us strive to have, yet many of us fall short. And while the reasons can vary, it often comes down to confusing self-confidence for arrogance. It’s important to note that they are not the same whatsoever.

Understanding not only this misconception but many others that come along with the concept can help improve your self-confidence, and ultimately your well-being. To help you weed out the facts from fiction, here are some of the biggest misconceptions about self-confidence.

It’s Linked to Physical Beauty

One of the biggest misconceptions about self-confidence is that it must be linked to physical beauty. For this reason, many people undergo plastic surgery assuming that it will be a quick fix.

And while getting cosmetic surgery can help you feel more confident in many ways, it’s not an all-in-one solution. Self-confidence is more than just feeling good about the way you look. It’s about you feeling confident about your abilities and your value.

When you’re confident, you truly believe that you have strengths worth recognizing and approach situations with that in mind. Not only because you feel okay about the way you look, but also because you feel great about what’s on the inside too.

You’re Born With It

What many people don’t realize is that self-confidence is something you have to train like a muscle. Most of us are born feeling neutral about ourselves, and over time things can start to increase our insecurity.

However, self-confidence can be trained and encouraged by giving yourself a pat on the back once in a while. What do you appreciate about yourself, and why? Don’t forget to remind yourself regularly and remember that everyone has hard days— even if you’re feeling a little low on one day, that doesn’t mean you can’t feel better than the next. Self-confidence can be developed and strengthened if you’re committed to doing so.

It’s External Validation

Many people go through their lives looking for self-confidence on the outside. However, praise and achievements alone will not bring you the self-confidence you’re looking for. While they can feel good, it’s only temporary and will wear off like any other drug. If you look for self-confidence externally, then you’ll have to consistently refill your tank. However, if you can manage to find self-confidence from within, then you will have a renewable and endless source to refill your cup without having to seek others to feel better.

Confident People Are Extraverted

Many people assume that if you’re loud and vocal you must be confident. However, extroverted people are not always necessarily the most confident. In fact, sometimes this can actually be a sign of insecurity and an attempt to compensate for your lack of self-assuredness. Plenty of people feel great about themselves yet don’t feel the need to be the most visible person in the room.