I firmly believe that it is important to be confident without being arrogant. My biggest pet peeve has always been when someone thinks they are better than everyone else. I will also be the first to admit that I have had my up’s and down’s when It comes to humility. I have never been one to brag or boast but there were absolutely times, particularly in high school athletics, where I found myself growing cocky. In hindsight, I flinch thinking about the times I thought I was the best wrestler around or the best football player. As much as I love sports, they tend to be a breeding ground for arrogance. Let’s face it, the stereotype is not fair, but everybody knows a stereotypical jock and they are usually arrogant and full of themselves.
It also did not help that I always had my coaches telling me and my teammates that we had to think we would win. It is my personal belief that this is a dangerous phrase to be telling high school kids. Telling teenagers, or anyone else for that matter, that they will win is dangerous because their mindsets blow past a state of confidence straight to a state of arrogance. What the coaches should have been telling their athletes is that they CAN win.
I have found, at least for me personally, that the divide between confidence and arrogance can often be only whether I am using the word can or the word will in my head. That is how I have learned to remain confident without being arrogant at least. I am a competitive guy, but I never assume I will beat someone at something now. However, I do always believe that I can beat someone at something.
I feel this has already started to pay dividends in my day to day life. It has given me a realistic view of myself and I feel that is healthy. I know that everyone around me is better than me at something, often they are better than me at numerous things. Yet I am still confidant in what I am good at and I know that if I decide to put in the work I can be good at just about anything I want. I may never be the best at anything, but that’s alright with me. I do not need to be better than everyone else if I am as good as I can personally be. That’s why I believe that being confident is important and being arrogant is unhealthy. There is a fine line between the two, but I strive to stay on the right side.