Confidence Beyond Experience

I couldn't help but imagine, would there really be confidence when there's already a level of experience attached to the situation, duty, job or role? I mean, if I have some experience on that very thing or matter, you would expect me to be confident, right? Except in cases where it would involve higher-ranking individuals. Like, one can be experienced in their skill/craft, but when they have to stand before a renowned person in that same field, their confidence can be affected. Not because they can't deliver, but can they deliver enough to impress the person?

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There's a level of confidence that comes from experience. Maybe that's why it's said that “Experience is the best teacher.” It suggests that we learn better by experience. As an extension, it then suggests that this experience should make us know what works or what doesn't, how better to address a work or job, ultimately leading to confidence in the delivery or execution. But if that's all to this matter, then it's a faulty one. I reckon that there's a confidence that comes not from experience, but for more reasons than that.

Confidence can come by virtue of a sense of responsibility, not because one is experienced. This presents a situation where one is necessitated to handle a position or role that is perhaps oblivious to them. Knowing they have little to no choice but to oblige, it calls for a kind of confidence that experience doesn't provide. If I'm oblivious to that thing, how can no experience help me? But yes, there's something called responsibility that necessitates it. This is because the situation fails if you're not confident. As such, you become confident by force.

Similarly, there is a confidence that stems from need. Being in a needy situation can bring out the confidence never realised. Sometimes, with external help, it goes well. I have a friend who is a fashion designer. There was a time he got an order to make wedding suits. He's good in his craft, but never has he made a suit. He had needs and saw the need to grow as well, so he took the offer, then leveraged the internet to get the job done. In the process, another fashion designer in the compound saw it and wanted to learn. He got it done, and beautifully.

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Today, he makes suits with full confidence. Now the present confidence is hinged on experience, but there was a time it was on need. I'll say that ultimately, confidence comes from trust in God and believing in oneself. For me, this has been a major one. There were times I accepted some design work, knowing well that I didn't have much experience in that respect. One thing that stood out to me was that I knew I had the help of God to succeed and I believed in myself through that help. I have the internet again to help me, so I had the confidence to do all that.

The thing is, confidence will show up in situations beyond one's sphere of experience. If we're confident only in what we're experienced in, then we'll be limited and might not explore more things or opportunities. Being able to do it without any experience is the big confidence.

Thank you for reading through!