There are tons of lists all over the internet that will tell you which good trait to hone, which are best for you, and which you should cut out of your life altogether. While this is great for self-improvement, you may not realize that an overabundance of one trait can be harmful to you.
It’s common knowledge that you must have confidence to achieve your most ambitious goals. Why limit yourself in what you do? On the other hand, as human beings, we tend to form idealistic pictures of ourselves. Remember that you need to take a step back now and then to assess yourself objectively. Then, determine whether you are being overconfident.
What is Overconfidence Bias?
Overconfidence bias is the first gateway-bias into many other flawed theories and mindsets. Positive self-talk and eliminating negative thoughts to boost internal confidence has a significant number of proven benefits. But if you only see your positive attributes, there will be negative consequences to come with this skewed perspective. You may notice that others you interact with find you disagreeable if you fail to hold yourself accountable and recognize your own mistakes. This will lead you to reach conclusions that don’t address the varied aspects of a situation. As such, you miss out on the growth opportunities that come with self-evaluation.
But wait..
Before you blame yourself, know that it’s natural to avoid recognizing your flaws. It is a form of your brain’s self-protection. You would rather not experience the discomfort of self-criticism and the effort of self-correction. In social psychology, this cognitive phenomenon is known as ‘self-attribution bias’. It is the tendency to credit positive outcomes to your own character and attributing negative outcomes to external factors – clearly a one-sided approach. It will be up to you to make yourself see more than what you want to.
You can avoid self-attribution bias if you are mindful. These tips may sound simple, but they take time and effort to implement. Ultimately, it is all about your attitude and perspective. When you encounter negative events, avoid fault-finding and blaming. Instead, take the opportunity to learn new things and better yourself.
