The Fake-Confidence/Fake-Humble Mask
Confidence does not equal arrogance.
Lack of confidence does not equal humility.
Arrogance falsifies confidence by putting on a confidence mask. Arrogant confidence lacks teachability. It assumes there’s nothing left to be learned. Arrogant confidence adds insincerity to insecurity. There’s a sense in which this person is trying to convince themselves and everyone around them of their ability — and it shows.
Arrogance is loud.
Arrogance competes.
Arrogance postures.
Arrogance Iives in a fragile, egocentric world and fake-confidence is the only way to make it is to over-compensate.
Arrogance can also take on the opposite form. This is what happens when loud, competitive, posturing, fake-confident arrogance has a world-crashing experience.
Fake-confidence and fake-humilty is a reversible mask for hiding insincerity and insecurity.
But it's the same mask.
You can be an arrogant worm who publicly laments being a worm. The problem being, you’re not actually a worm. This posture still exudes self-importance. It's a cry for props. The problem is most people just think the "non-worm worm move" is just sad. Or annoying. No props are given, so I'm now angry. No respect. No one cares. I'll eat dirt and die.
Stop trying so hard.
Stop posturing.
Stop competing.
Become teachable.
Embrace your reality of not-knowing everything.
Find a mentor.
Be comfortable in your own skin and with your own thoughts.
Don’t feel you have to share everything. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise.
Be content with who you are, while simultaneously discontent with where you are. Grow.
Embrace the role of learner. Explorer. Discoverer.
You will find you can be confident in who you are and how you’re created without being an ego-driven dolt with something to prove.
And now you’re on the way to making a difference for others.