CONFIDENCE; NOT OVERCONFIDENCE

ignoring external factors. Unable to foresee future developments, they indulge in unrealistic thinking, which eventually proves fatal. Most of the people who are prone to this kind of thinking risk being failures. Yet another example is that of an educated person who was in a good government job developing his political ambitions, he resigned from service and threw himself into the arena of politics. This adventure proved to be beyond his capacity and he was defeated in the elections. He lost both his government service and the assembly seat. Then there is the question of how one can cope with over-confidence. The method is very simple. Before taking a decision, discuss the matter objectively with other people who are well-informed and when it is proved that you are about to take a step in the wrong direction, accept the reality and admit your mistake. Over-confidence is a common flaw in the character of those who are lacking in humility. The virtue of modesty makes you a realist—a person who is cut down to size. Such people generally proceed with caution because, before taking any action, they take into consideration all of the factors in whatever situation they have to tackle and make a thorough assessment of the risks involved. Taking this realistic approach prompts them to take into account their own shortcomings. This serves as a controlling element in their lives and prevents them from having to face untoward consequences. Overconfident people remain wrapped up in their own thoughts. They know themselves but are unaware of the lives of others. From inside their own cocoon, they are unable to draw upon others’ experiences and develop the kind of inward-looking attitude which can be highly damaging to all concerned. There is a saying that, the young man sees the rule and the old man sees the exception. With a slight change, one can say that the overconfident person sees the rule and the confident person sees the exception. Overconfident people are always more likely than others to take risks. They hold that risk-taking is good. They say: “No risk, no gain.” But taking a risk must be a well-calculated move, otherwise it could lead to disaster. o Over-confidence is a common flaw in the character of those who are lacking in humility. The virtue of modesty makes you a realist—a person who is cut down to size.