FACT-CHECK THOSE CONFIDENCE CLICHÉS

Clinical psychologist Dr Therese Mascardo unpicks some pieces of received wisdom

the cliché Some people are just born confident

the verdict ‘This is incorrect. Confidence is mostly taught through culture, experience and modelling,’ explains Dr Mascardo. ‘However, some traits that society tends to associate with confidence are more innate, like whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, and how open you are to new experiences. But, of course, you can have confident introverts, too.’

the cliché Fake it till you make it

the verdict ‘This depends,’ says Dr Mascardo. ‘There are some things you just can’t do without real skills and training, like being a racing driver. But in order to get to where you want to go, you often have to put yourself in situations where your confidence isn’t quite where it needs to be. Visualisation can help with this, as being able to see yourself where you want to be is important. So pretending you’ve got what it takes whether you fully believe it or not – ie, faking it – can sometimes help en route to real confidence.’

the cliché Success breeds confidence

the verdict ‘Yes and no – it’s more accurate to say confidence is bred from repeated success,’ says Dr Mascardo. ‘This is based on behavioural psychology and the concept of positive reinforcement – you’re more likely to have momentary confidence after you win a match, for example. Since behaviours that are positively reinforced are more likely to be repeated, those repeated successes can lead to longer-lasting confidence.’