Confidence: Updated

A while ago, I wrote about the process of becoming confident (2 min read).

I realize now that the ending of that post isn't quite right.

The reason has to do with what happens when we lose confidence.

In this post, I'd like to explore the question of whether confidence is something we can actually lose and then make an amendment to the ending of my post above.

***

Imagine a flywheel.

Picture one that's bigger than you are.

Pushing that flywheel will take quite a bit of effort, given its size.

At first, you may not even be able to move it at all.

If you keep at it, it may move a touch.

Then a bit more.

Then slowly, over time, you will get it to start spinning.

Then spinning faster.

Ok, pause for moment.

***

Our current view of confidence can be framed as either high or low.

It can be so high that I'm over-confident, or so low that I feel like I've "lost" confidence.

Going back to the flywheel for a second, ask yourself this:

In the metaphor I'm trying to illustrate, do you believe that confidence is the output of the flywheel?

In other words, do you believe that once you get the flywheel moving, it generates confidence?

I do.

Well, I did believe that.

It's easy to imagine that if the flywheel is moving very fast, confidence is high and by contrast if it's not moving at all, confidence is lost or non-existent.

***

I think we've got this wrong.

Confidence isn't high or low.

Confidence is fast, or slow.

Confidence isn't the output of the flywheel.

Confidence is the flywheel itself.

***

Viewed in this way, it's impossible to lose, isn't it?

If you feel like it's "lost," well, perhaps it's just stopped moving.

How do you regain confidence after "losing" it?

You have to start moving the flywheel. Slowly.

That is just the only way, right?

You can't will the flywheel to move with your mind.

Reading a book about how to move it, isn't actually moving it.

Watching someone else move their own flywheel, isn't moving your own.

***

In the post that I referenced at the beginning of this one, I wrote that confidence is an outcome.

I'd like to officially amend that.

Confidence, is a process.

It can be slow, or fast.