Overconfidence can be an asset and a liability
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Every time a man explains their jobs, their interests or their lives to them—and it happens with the frequency of traffic jams in Bengaluru—female friends will say, “I wish I had that confidence". Overconfidence, or an overestimation of or a misplaced belief in one’s own capabilities and opinions, is an epidemic in the world of work, dating and leisure.
Multiple studies show that men, in general, are more overconfident than women, which gives them an advantage. There’s the famous case study from Hewlett-Packard, for instance, which found that women applied for a promotion only when they believed they met 100% of the qualifications, while men applied even when they thought they met just 60% of the requirements. A show of overconfidence, not just garden variety confidence which is being sure of oneself, influences decisions at every level.
Think of the many politicians who tried to convince us that the death toll during the covid-19 pandemic wasn’t that high, the suffering not that dire, and that everything was under control. Overconfidence may seem disastrous, but author and researcher Vivek Nityananda makes a case for its benefits in his recent book, Beyond Doubt: Overconfidence and What It Means For Modern Society (Westland, 289 pages, ₹599). He lays out the many pitfalls of overconfidence but also says it could be a source of motivation and optimism.
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