arrogance vs. confidence

Arrogance or confidence — how can we tell the difference? I’ve heard some say a healthy dose of arrogance is needed. I’m not so sure. Far more valuable and necessary is a humble confidence. A humble confidence is evident in the one who never puts too much emphasis on self… who never thinks more highly of himself than he ought… and one who willingly defers to other people…

• The arrogant man looks down on other people.
• The confident man wants to learn from other people.

• The arrogant man believes the world revolves around him.
• The confident man teaches others that it does not.

• The arrogant man cares more about impressing supposed superiors.
• The confident man never measures the difference between superiors or the perceived below. (Note: there is no such thing as “inferior” in the confident man’s mind.)

I believe the most attractive professional, politician, and person is one who is confident — not arrogant.

So help me; is it arrogance or confidence exuding from the following?

From Mark Twain: “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”

From Hillary Clinton just after Bill became President: “I’m not going to have some reporters pawing through our papers. We are the president.”

From then candidate Barack Obama after winning the nomination: “I’m LeBron, baby.  I can play on this level. I got game.”

Not to mention talk radio’s Rush Limbaugh in his seemingly daily proclamation: “I’m Rush Limbaugh. I have talent on loan from God.”

And from the Wall St. Journal’s Ben Cohen just this week: “It was obvious from the first day of this college-basketball season that there was one game everyone in this sport wanted to see: Kentucky vs. Duke. Now, after the first week of the NCAA tournament, this dream matchup is more than a mere possibility. It’s the likeliest national-championship game.”

Arrogance or confidence. Some say it doesn’t matter. I say it does. It gives us a window into the integrity of a person’s heart…

• Arrogance is unattractive.
• Confidence is attractive.

• Arrogance manipulates people.
• Confidence genuinely leads people.

• Arrogance is fleeting.
• Confidence lasts.

Hence, the question isn’t so much whether it’s arrogance or confidence that exudes from the man; the better question is: to us, does it matter?

Respectfully…

AR