Everyone Can Be Confident | Amit Hans | TEDxIIMSirmaur

Key Concepts

Confidence: Not an outcome of achievement, but a driver of success.
Cycle of Confidence: Confidence leads to success, and success reinforces confidence.
Delayed vs. Wrong Decision: Taking shots (making decisions) is crucial for learning and eventual success, even if initial attempts result in failure.
Origin of Confidence: Confidence originates from within, not from external validation or environment.
Agreement to Venture into the Unknown: True confidence involves applying skills and principles learned in one area to new, unfamiliar challenges.
Action Plan for Vector Direction: Understanding the underlying principles that led to success in one area and applying them to new areas.

Main Topics and Key Points

Introduction

The speaker introduces himself as someone who has battled anxiety and inferiority complexes.
He acknowledges the potential skepticism about his credibility as a leadership coach given his past struggles.
He states his intention to share how he overcame these challenges and became confident.

Level 1: Confidence Leads to Success

A senior's question, "तुझे किस बात का कॉन्फिडेंस है?" ("What gives you confidence?") prompted the speaker to analyze the nature of confidence.
The speaker contrasts two perspectives:
- Perspective 1: Confidence is an outcome of achievement.
- Perspective 2: Confidence leads to achievement.
The speaker argues that confidence leads to success, which in turn increases the probability of further success and confidence, creating a positive feedback loop.
For those lacking confidence, this cycle is not initiated.

Level 2: The Importance of Taking Shots (Making Decisions)

A former boss asked the speaker: "Which is more dangerous, a delayed decision or a wrong decision?"
The speaker analyzes two scenarios:
- Person A: Takes no shots (makes no decisions) - results in zero success and zero failures.
- Person B: Takes 10 shots (makes 10 decisions) and fails in all of them - results in zero success and 10 failures.
The speaker argues that Person B is better off because they are learning and improving, even with initial failures.
Life offers numerous opportunities, and consistent effort and learning will eventually lead to success.
The speaker explains that his past engagement in multiple activities, despite failures, provided him with knowledge and insights that built his confidence.

Level 3: The True Definition of Confidence

The speaker asks the audience to imagine an area where they excel (e.g., table tennis).
He poses the question: "Can you take a challenge from me in that activity?"
Most people would confidently accept the challenge, even without knowing the speaker's skill level.
This illustrates that confidence originates from within, not from external factors.
The speaker challenges the audience to consider whether they can transfer the confidence from their area of expertise (e.g., table tennis) to a completely different domain (e.g., Sudoku).
True confidence involves the willingness to venture into the unknown, applying the principles and skills learned in one area to new challenges.
The speaker outlines a three-step process for developing true confidence:
1. Understanding the origin of confidence: Recognizing that it comes from within.
2. Agreement to venture into the unknown: Being willing to take on new challenges.
3. Action plan for vector direction: Identifying the underlying principles that led to success in one area and applying them to the new area.
He uses the example of Dhirubhai Ambani, who started by selling petrol, then moved to cloth, and eventually diversified into numerous industries, demonstrating the mindset of a genuinely confident person.

Personal Anecdote: The Girl Who Could Cook

The speaker shares a story from 2003 when he was conducting an English-speaking workshop in Delhi.
He noticed a girl who actively participated despite her poor English skills.
Other students made fun of her, but she remained unfazed.
When asked why she wasn't bothered by the mockery, she replied, "Because I am confident."
When asked what gave her this confidence, she said, "Because I can cook good food."
She explained that just as the speaker was confident in his English skills, she was confident in her cooking skills, and both were equally valid.
The speaker realized that she embodied the three steps of confidence:
1. She knew she was good at cooking.
2. She was venturing into the unknown by learning English.
3. She was putting in the effort to improve.
The speaker saw himself in her and realized that his own journey to becoming a public speaker involved applying the same principles.

Conclusion

The speaker emphasizes that ideas are everywhere, and all one needs to do is find them, process them, and share them with the world.
He concludes by thanking the audience.

Notable Quotes

"तुझे किस बात का कॉन्फिडेंस है?" (Dinesh Arora) - "What gives you confidence?"
"Because I can cook good food." (The girl in the workshop)
"Ideas are lying everywhere. All you need to do is just look around."

Technical Terms and Concepts

Status Quo: The existing state of affairs.
Collective Consciousness: The shared beliefs, ideas, and moral attitudes which operate as a unifying force within society.
C-Suite/C-Exo: Refers to the highest-level executives within a company (e.g., CEO, CFO, COO).
Algorithm: A process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.
Vector Direction: A course or bearing expressed in terms of direction and magnitude.
Ufemistic: Substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive.

Logical Connections

The speaker begins by establishing his own past struggles with confidence, creating a relatable starting point.
He then introduces the concept of the "cycle of confidence" and argues that confidence is a driver of success, not just an outcome.
He uses the "delayed vs. wrong decision" analogy to emphasize the importance of taking action and learning from failures.
He connects these ideas to the true definition of confidence, which involves venturing into the unknown and applying principles learned in one area to new challenges.
The personal anecdote about the girl who could cook serves as a concrete example of these principles in action.
Finally, he concludes by encouraging the audience to find and share their own ideas with the world.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The speaker argues that confidence is not an innate trait but a skill that can be developed by anyone. The key is to understand that confidence originates from within, to be willing to take risks and venture into the unknown, and to apply the principles that led to success in one area to new challenges. By embracing this mindset and continuously learning from both successes and failures, anyone can build their confidence and achieve their goals.