There’s a difference between being confident, cocky, conceited, and condescending. A lot of people don’t seem to know the difference. Allow me to help you, help yourself:
Confidence
- What it is: A quiet belief in one’s own abilities, knowledge, or judgment, without needing to prove it.
- How it looks: Calm, steady, open to feedback, focused on the task or mission, and respectful of others.
Confidence is quiet. Silent. You don’t have to tell someone you’re confident. They can see it. They can feel it. It’s in the way you carry yourself: the way you walk, the way you speak, the words you choose to use, your body language, eye contact, etc. It’s in the way you are unapologetically you. It’s in the way you know your weaknesses and learn from your mistakes and “failures”. It’s in the way you handle adversity. It’s in the way you accomplish your goals. It’s in the way you get shit done.
Cockiness
- What it is: Overly confident and bold in an annoying, presumptuous, or arrogant way; a show-off.
- How it looks: Brash, boastful, resistant to feedback, and focused on personal image rather than the goal.
Cockiness is loud. Cockiness is boastful. Cockiness is arrogant. People who are cocky tend to oversell themselves and their accomplishments. They exaggerate their achievements, status, and possessions. They walk around thinking everyone else is beneath them.
Conceit
- What it is: Having an excessively high opinion of oneself, one’s looks, or abilities; vain and self-centered.
- How it looks: Obsessed with self-praise, constantly posting selfies, or unable to admit mistakes.
Conceit is also loud. Conceited people love compliments and outside attention and affirmation. Conceited people are usually obsessed with themselves, and give little thought or care about other people. Criticism is usually met with defensiveness. These people also have a difficult time owning up to their faults and mistakes. Most of their conversations are aimed at themselves.
Condescension
- What it is: Acting superior and talking down to others as if they are less intelligent, capable, or important.
- How it looks: Patronizing, belittling, dismissive, or using a sarcastic tone.
Condescension might be the worst trait someone can possess. Condescending people usually treat others as inferior or less intelligent. They commonly talk down to people, dismiss their feelings, and/or provide unsolicited, belittling advice, often stemming from personal insecurity or a need to appear smarter. Condescending people are known to interrupt others while they’re talking and acting like they’re doing the other person a favor by interacting with them.
Cockiness, conceit, and condescension are similar traits, yet they still differ. These traits often stem from inner insecurities, envy, or narcissism.
It’s never too late to change your way of thinking and your actions. Start striving for the quiet confidence, rather than the loud, boisterous, cockiness, conceit, and condescension.
Welcome to the Chaos.. 