10 things confident people never do (so you shouldn’t either)

Some people usually mistake arrogance for confidence, but they are actually different – confident people are secure about themselves, while arrogant people simply mask their insecurity with bravado.

Confidence allows you to push your limits and persevere to reach your goals because you trust yourself.

You believe that you can do hard things, allowing you to accomplish different achievements.

Confident people have the grit to do everything they set their minds to — not because they’re perfect but because they have a relentless spirit that constantly learns from their mistakes and works hard to be better.

If you’re aiming to be more confident, you may also want to know more about what confident people don’t do.

Here are 10 things confident people never do, so you shouldn’t either. 

1. They Avoid Doubting Themselves

Confident people can achieve their goals with hard work and discipline because they trust themselves to do hard things.

That’s why they avoid doubting their capabilities, allowing these feelings to get the best of them.

But this is not to say that confident people don’t doubt themselves at all.

They also feel uncertain about reaching their goal sometimes, but their determination allows them to go on despite these indecisions.

One thing about confident people is that they notice once you start getting swayed by your doubt.

They also acknowledge that you might soon falter and lose focus, or worse, lose interest altogether and quit.

That’s why the most confident person acknowledges these indecisions but doesn’t allow these to affect their momentum.

Confident people maintain their composure and enthusiasm because they believe in themselves.

2. They Don’t Use Others to Make Them Look Great

Arrogant people tend to speak over others or humiliate them to appear superior.

They may act great, but they’re really just insecure about themselves; picking on others to look more dominant.

This is one of their starkest differences from confident people – a confident person doesn’t usually resort to trampling over others only to boost themselves up.

Confident people are secure about their sense of self. They work hard to resolve their frustrations instead of projecting them onto others.

They don’t need to make themselves look great at the expense of others, as their diligence and achievements should speak for them.

Anyone can notice an arrogant person from miles away, while confident people will only make a buzz with their achievements.

I have my fair share of meeting arrogant people – one of them always wants to be the center of attention by picking on others, while the most confident people I know even go out of their way sometimes to help other people and share what they know.

3. They Don’t Exaggerate Achievements

The most confident people stay true to themselves and their achievements, so they don’t usually exaggerate their success for attention or praise.

They also don’t need to waste time to try hard and prove their excellence with embellishments and empty talk – confident people would rather do other productive things and let their work do the talking.

You may find them celebrating reaching their goals to their loved ones, but they don’t lie about it.

A confident person’s self-worth is rooted in their secure sense of self – they love learning new things and improving themselves.

Because of this, they don’t usually crave constant praise or attention to feel complete.

While they appreciate loved ones celebrating their success, they don’t usually depend on their approval to feel good about themselves or validated.

4. They Don’t Take Criticisms and Corrections the Wrong Way

Some people tend to think twice about correcting confident people or giving them constructive criticism, fearing they might get offended and lash out.

But the truth is that a confident person won’t really mind at all and may even appreciate it.

They’re in constant pursuit of improving their capabilities, so they see corrections as opportunities to grow.

Confident people may believe in themselves, but that doesn’t mean they think they’re perfect.

They know they can make mistakes, so having these lapses pointed out immediately allows them to reflect and get better.

Whether they apply your constructive criticisms to their work or not, you can expect them not to take it the wrong way.

Only arrogant and narcissistic people get offended when they’re corrected.

5. They Don’t Stand in the Way of Their Personal Growth

They may not know it yet, but arrogant and narcissistic people who think they’re always right actually rob themselves of the chance to grow.

Confident people tend to be sure about themselves, but they know that there are always areas for improvement.

Valuing personal growth, they appreciate constructive criticism and corrections, especially coming from a place of love and concern.

Confident people may avoid doubting themselves, but they also avoid getting too sure about their capabilities.

They believe there’s always room for improvement, no matter how great you seem at what you do.

They don’t want to get too complacent, which leads to stagnation. They don’t want to stand in the way of their growth, so they continue to push their boundaries.

I know getting out of your comfort zone can be nerve-wracking – I also used to gather courage first before trying.

You can help yourself by shifting your perspective and working towards a positive outlook that you’ll learn new things and have great achievements.

6. They Don’t Quit

Confident people may have a moment of doubt or even choose to rest for a while, but they usually never quit.

They prefer facing challenges head-on. That’s why you won’t expect them to give up when up against a minor setback.

I know that failures and problems can be discouraging, keeping you from doing what you do.

Confident people get over their demoralization by seeing these trials as obstacles and learning experiences that will eventually lead them to success.

That’s why they often get back up when they fall. They reflect on what went wrong and why it happened, so they can come up with a strategy or practice more to prevent it next time.

7. They Don’t Procrastinate

Confident people usually finish their tasks immediately, so you won’t expect them to procrastinate — they always want to make the most out of their time.

Because of this, they always want to stay productive, believing every minute counts when reaching their goals.

A confident person doesn’t slack off or passively wait for the perfect time to seize opportunities.

I know that many people also procrastinate sometimes, and even confident people can relate to how it can be tempting.

Most people procrastinate because they get anxious about the task at hand – this is understandable as well because things can be intimidating when you’re still adjusting to it.

Confident people often get over this intimidation by calming their nerves and trying to break up their work into smaller tasks, making them seem simpler.

The important thing is to believe that you can do hard things and that you make the most of the amount of time you have right now to get these things done, whether they’re easy and uncomplicated, or take a little more time and effort than usual.

8. They Don’t Do Things Half-Heartedly

Confident people always put their heart into their work, eager to get productive, improve their craft, or learn new things.

That’s why they’re usually admired for their attitude towards work and getting things done.

Confident people don’t slack off just because they think they’re great – they always do their best and don’t settle for a half-baked or medicare job.

As confident people are passionate about most things they do, they also tend to be resourceful.

They proactively come up with ideas that will make their work more efficient.

They can get creative about their resources, which is also one of the reasons why they don’t usually quit.

They know every problem has a solution, and you only have to figure them out.

Confident people pick themselves up after minor setbacks and focus on finding a solution.

9. They Don’t Think They’re Better Than Everyone

A confident person may be secure about their self-worth, but they don’t think they are better than everyone else at all. This might not even cross their minds because they’re focused on their personal growth rather than comparing themselves to others.

Confident people trust their capabilities and have achieved milestones, so they know how far anyone can go if they only work hard and believe in themselves.

They also think this way when it comes to their colleagues or peers.

They’re also eager to learn new things from others and prefer working smart – doing things as a team is more efficient than working alone.

10. They Don’t Do Things They Don’t Agree With

You usually won’t expect confident people to be doing things they don’t agree with.

As they’re secure about themselves, they usually take control of their lives, being responsible for the consequences of their actions.

They know who they are and hold their sense of self in high regard.

They believe that doing something against their morals or beliefs is similar to betraying yourself.

Having a secure sense of self also tends to make confident people have strong opinions about what’s right and wrong.

You usually won’t expect them to lie, cheat, or take advantage of others.

Overall, confident people tend to have non-negotiable standards that they uphold, from politics to work ethic down to their treatment of the people around them.