Is confidence a skill or something you\u2019re born with? To what extent is confidence a matter of nurture as opposed to nature? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Confidence helps you take bold steps in the face of obstacles or adversity because it reminds you that you have the strength to overcome and succeed. Some claim that confidence is a skill that can be developed through practice. Others say that confidence, akin to IQ, is determined by genetics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s what science has to say on the matter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Is confidence a skill or a genetic endowment? Psychological research points out that confidence is genetic<\/a> to some extent<\/strong>. Behavioral geneticist Robert Plomin studied identical twins and fraternal twins and found that identical twins had more similar answers than fraternal twins on both self-assessments of their ability and their actual ability. He found that the correlation between confidence and genes could be as high as 50%, which might be even higher than the correlation between IQ and genes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While up to 50% of confidence might be down to genetics, that doesn\u2019t mean that confidence is a fixed trait. Certain genes related to character traits can turn on and off, thus changing our brain chemistry\u2014and our confidence levels. Epigenetics is the study of how life experiences can change our genes and DNA. For example, identical twins often have the same DNA but have different personalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interestingly, gene off-ons might be inheritable even after only a single generation. Scientists don\u2019t know yet if people who work on their confidence can pass this on to their children, but it could be possible. For example, some studies found that pregnant women who witnessed the Twin Towers attacks passed stress hormones to their babies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To further understand the role of genetics in confidence, consider sensitivity genes. Sensitivity genes are genes that make someone more sensitive\u2014not more vulnerable\u2014to their environment. This means that they\u2019re more likely to absorb whatever influences they\u2019re surrounded by, whether positive or negative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, rhesus monkeys that had confidence-facilitating genes grew up to be non-anxious adults regardless of what kind of mother they had. Monkeys with social anxiety genes grew up to be anxious adults when they had anxious mothers and grew up to be somewhat anxious when they had average mothers. But when they had great mothers, they grew up to be more confident and healthy than the monkeys with confidence-facilitating genes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sensitivity is highest in early childhood and psychologist Suomi thinks it may also be high in other key periods like menopause, labor, and puberty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nTITLE: The Confidence Code Apart from genetics, your level of confidence is also influenced by the culture where you grew up. Your culture instills particular beliefs that affect how you view the world, thus impacting your confidence and self-esteem<\/a>. Individuals often aren\u2019t aware of these cultural beliefs\u2014but even when they are, it\u2019s impossible to avoid the influence of these beliefs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As an example, consider the traditional Western belief regarding gender roles: Women were historically deemed subservient to men. The ways in which this belief manifests in modern society continue to damage women\u2019s confidence\u2014even the ones who don\u2019t consider themselves subservient to men in any way. For instance, in schools, girls are encouraged to be well-behaved, which discourages confidence-building behavior<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \nTITLE: The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem While you can\u2019t influence your genetics or the culture you\u2019re born into, that doesn\u2019t mean that you are doomed to be under-confident. With patience, hard work, and persistence, you can develop confidence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In his book High Performance Habits<\/em>, personal development trainer Brendon Burchard says that confidence is a skill that encompasses competence, congruence, and connection:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nTITLE: High Performance Habits According to Bren\u00e9 Brown, confidence is not as much a skill as our sense of certainty in our skills.<\/strong> Brown wants us to work toward a particular form of confidence that she calls grounded confidence<\/em>: a powerful sense of self that comes from accurate analysis of what we\u2019ve done and what we can do. For example, an accomplished performer might still feel stage fright, but she can draw confidence from the knowledge that she\u2019s experienced and skilled, and that audiences love her shows. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Brown adds that defensiveness <\/em>comes from a lack of grounded confidence\u2014we feel the need to protect ourselves from anything that might disrupt our self-image or sense of self-worth<\/a>, so we immediately turn to justifications and excuses for any negative traits we have and any mistakes we make. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, humility<\/em> is grounded confidence combined with a willingness to learn and improve. While it\u2019s often considered to be the opposite of confidence, Brown says that humility is actually a function of <\/em>confidence\u2014we have to be secure enough in ourselves to recognize when we might be wrong and when we have room to grow. Brown sums up humility by quoting another of her books, Dare to Lead<\/a><\/em>: \u201cI\u2019m here to get it right, not to be right.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, the near enemy of confidence is hubris<\/em>, which is an overblown sense of our own capabilities that\u2019s not tied to any actual achievements. Counterintuitively, Brown believes that hubris is actually a function of low self-esteem<\/a>. Much like defensiveness, people who lack confidence feel the need to build themselves up and defend themselves from any negative attention\u2014even (or perhaps especially) negative attention from themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \nTITLE: Atlas of the Heart Is confidence a skill or a gift endowed by genetics? As far as psychological research goes, confidence is both\u2014our biology and our environment affect it and neither will win out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you enjoyed reading about if confidence a skill, check out the following suggestions for further reading: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Confidence Gap<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n In The Confidence Gap<\/a>, <\/em>psychotherapist Russ Harris provides an approach to dealing effectively with the negative, limiting thoughts and fears that prevent you from achieving your goals<\/a>. Rather than trying to speak to, tamp down, or ignore negative thoughts\u2014all ineffective methods\u2014Harris recommends you relate <\/em>differently to your thoughts. This will allow you to pursue your goals<\/a> without your thoughts interfering with your efforts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mindset<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n You have powerful beliefs that affect what you want in life<\/a> and whether you get it. In Mindset<\/em>, psychologist and researcher Carol S. Dweck argues that the way you think determines the course of your life, starting as early as your preschool years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You learn one of two mindsets<\/a> from your parents, teachers, and coaches: that personal qualities such as intelligence and ability are innate and unchangeable (the fixed mindset<\/a>) or that you and others can change and grow (the growth mindset<\/a>). Understanding and adjusting your mindset can change your career, relationships, the way you raise your children, and your overall life satisfaction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Is confidence a skill or something you\u2019re born with? To what extent is confidence a matter of nurture as opposed to nature? Confidence helps you take bold steps in the face of obstacles or adversity because it reminds you that you have the strength to overcome and succeed. Some claim that confidence is a skill that can be developed through practice. Others say that confidence, akin to IQ, is determined by genetics. Here\u2019s what science has to say on the matter. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":64082,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,43],"tags":[452],"class_list":["post-85416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-psychology","category-self-improvement","tag-guides","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nSensitivity Genes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\nAUTHOR: Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
\nTIME: 29
\nREADS: 88.2
\nIMG_URL: https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/the-confidence-code-cover.png
\nBOOK_SUMMARYURL: the-confidence-code-summary-katty-kay-and-claire-shipman
\nAMZN_ID: XYZ
\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow Culture Influences Confidence<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\nAUTHOR: Nathaniel Branden
\nTIME: 66
\nREADS: 67.2
\nIMG_URL: https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/the-six-pillars-of-self-esteem-cover.png
\nBOOK_SUMMARYURL: the-six-pillars-of-self-esteem-summary-nathaniel-branden
\nAMZN_ID: XYZ
\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe 3 C\u2019s of Confidence<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\nAUTHOR: Brendon Burchard
\nTIME: 33
\nREADS: 164
\nIMG_URL: https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/high-performance-habits-cover.png
\nBOOK_SUMMARYURL: high-performance-habits-summary-brendon-burchard
\nAMZN_ID: XYZ
\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nConfidence Is a Sense of Certainty in Your Abilities <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\nAUTHOR: Bren\u00e9 Brown
\nTIME: 14
\nREADS: 50.3
\nIMG_URL: https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/atlas-of-the-heart-cover.png
\nBOOK_SUMMARYURL: atlas-of-the-heart-summary-brene-brown
\nAMZN_ID: XYZ
\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nFinal Words<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n