Habits and Hustle - Episode 232: The Dunning-Krueger Effect: What Is The Right Amount of Confidence?

Episode Date: April 14, 2023

Do you believe your capabilities are out of this world? While having confidence in yourself and having the audacity to pursue your goals is the key to actually achieving your goals, there is such a thing as too much confidence. In fact, some people might actually be delusional about their capabilities and that may come back to bite them at some point in the future. In this solo episode of Habits and Hustle, we chat about the Dunning-Krueger Effect and what we believe is the right amount of self-confidence. What we discuss: 00:45: What is the Dunning-Krueger Effect? 2:31: What is the right amount of self-confidence? 04:45: Is it better to think you are too good or not good enough? 07:32: What’s the difference between confident and cocky? 08:12: How much delusion is too much? Key takeaways: The Dunning-Krueger Effect is an effect occurs when a person's lack of knowledge and skills in a certain area cause them to overestimate their own competence. By contrast, this effect also causes those who excel in a given area to think the task is simple for everyone, and underestimate their relative abilities as well. In our society, being overly confident is shunned upon. People tend to feel uncomfortable around those who are too confident and mistakenly take it for cockiness instead of self-confidence. Thus, it’s important to find a balance in the thoughts you have of your capabilities. You must give yourself the credit for what you are great at, but also acknowledge there is always place for growth and for you to be even better. My links: Website: https://www.jennifercohen.com/ Instagram: @therealjencohen  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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You're listening to Habits and Hustle. Cresher. Okay, welcome to another solo episode of Habits and Hustle. And I was like really excited about this topic because we all hear so much about imposter syndrome, right? You know what imposter syndrome is, right? Of course. Right.

When we basically underestimate our own values, our own skills, our accomplishments, and all that, right? But one thing that I don't think that I've heard a lot of people talk about is this idea of this thing called Dunning Kruger effect. Have you heard of this? I haven't. Please enlighten me. So the Dunning Kruger effect is the complete opposite of imposter syndrome. Oh, like, almost like narcissism? is the complete opposite of imposter syndrome. Oh, like, almost like narcissism? No, not like narcissism.

It's literally the polar opposite of imposter syndrome because you basically overestimate your values, overestimate your skills. So you're overly confident. So, because not everybody lacks self-confidence and lacks self-esteem and has imposter syndrome, right? With every year and there's a yang, and this is a syndrome, I guess, or an effect that is basically the opposite.

And so I wanted to talk about it because I think it's super interesting. What's it called, Dunning Kruger? It's called the Dunning Kruger effect. That is so interesting. Everyone always talks about imposter syndrome. I don't think I've ever heard this brought up in the conversation. And you know what's even more interesting is that

there's so much rhetoric and conversation about how to overcome imposter syndrome, how to overcome a low self-esteem, how to become more confident, all these things. But yet, what's interesting is, once someone actually is confident or overly confident, it's then like shied upon. And like, you're not supposed to be too overly,

not supposed to be too confident, you're supposed to be just enough confidence. I always hated that, by the way. Right? Because I feel like it's so, I mean, that it brings so much sadness to people's life to having security and lack confidence. And then when somebody actually does,

and they get that confidence, especially if they feel like women, they just get put down for having that, which is so annoying. The thing that I really want to unpack here is then, like this, it's like a Goldilocks thing, right? Like, what is enough? Like, what amount is enough?

What is the right amount of self-confidence? What is the right amount of self-esteem? What is the right amount of feeling overly capable? Because like, if you are too much, you are kind of not shunned, was the word you're... Well, it's just look down on. It's like look down on. Right, but like, it's just look down on. It's like look down on. Right, but like it's like you're kind of,

you're, people then throw a lot of shade at you. Like that word I use. It's like a very slang. It's like that way. It's like a very youthful in my hands. Oh my God, made the last joint checkdog. Right, so, which she's on by the way, you guys should follow on to.

By the way, I do really well on TikTok. Yeah, you guys should follow on to. Okay, so follow me on TikTok. But if you do have too much confidence or if you do believe in yourself too much, then it's also people shittin' on you. So what point is it enough? Is there a barometer that someone should take?

Because what happens is when you have that much, then you're supposed to be, you're supposed to like bring it down with humility and bring it down with being low key about it. It's kind of like, it's a very tight, tight row. It's a kind of a lock. But I think the Dunning Krueger, what I'm seeing online, is that it lacks a basis in reality, where it's you don't have that self-awareness, you actually have very low abilities for something and think that you're phenomenal at it. That's we're going to get to.

Whereas I feel like having the right amount of confidence for something, I think it all comes down to self-awareness, right? Having that self-awareness to be able to say, like, I'm actually really good at this. I've gotten really great results at this. I'm good at this. And so I have the confidence to be able to pursue this and to continue this and to feel good about how I do with this. I'm good at this. And so I have the confidence to be able to pursue this, and to continue this, and to feel good about how I do with this. But it is interesting, because I constantly have that in my mind where it's like, am I too confident about this? Am I not confident enough? Am I humble enough about this? Am I being too humble about this? Okay, this is what I think.

The horrible. I know what you're saying. Rocking a hard place. It is. But this is why I want to bring up this whole idea, right? So it comes up to that, that's the whole thing about this whole, what's it called this whole Dunning Kruger effect, is that it's an inflated sense of self. Right, exactly. So this is what I find super interesting. Now this is my question I'm posing,

is that is it better to be in a place of ignorance and actually think you're better than you are versus being in a place of constant like kind of like self-doubt where you don't ever think you're good enough. Because again, it's about having the audacity to go after something Because the people who actually get what they want is the people who have the audacity to believe that they can, that why not me, that, you know, it's if it can happen to that person can happen to me and feel like they deserve it.

So like if they're gonna be winning all the prizes at the end of, you know, they're gonna be winning the pot of gold at the end, maybe it's better to be that way and have this idea of ignorance as bliss. I'd actually think that there's something to that. I think it's whether or not you're valuing happiness or...

But they're happy. Or improvement, right? So I'm saying, if you're choosing, no, no, but if you're choosing self-improvement, for example, I think it's better to have that constant sense of self-doubt where you're going to be working so hard to keep getting better because you think you're not good enough at something. That will, you will probably improve at some skill or some task a little bit better than if you have this done in crew gear effect.

But I think in terms of just life happiness, I think having inflated self of self is way better. It's like way better. You're going to be way happier. To my point, I think it's way better in the sense that you're living happier. Absolutely. But I mean, I just find it to be so fascinating about this fine line, right, between not having too much of it, but if you have too little as a problem, if you have too much of it, it's a problem. So like, I want to know where is it or is there something we can look at where it says, what is the right amount to have? Like, and then at the same point for what purpose. So then you're not making other people, you're not annoying other people, you're not making other people uncomfortable. I mean, I think having the self, the humility is when

you are self aware enough. See, that's where it comes in. I think when you self, the humility is when you are self aware enough. That's where it comes in. I think when you are overly confident, you know you're really good at something, but you're also savvy enough to play it down. Right. You know, just to make, but you're only doing that for other people's expense, to play it other people so they don't feel that you are like cocky or arrogant because it's like a fine line between arrogance and cocky and being confident. So I find it interesting. And a funny thing about that is like then you're some I'm somebody or everyone is like naturally

psychologically we don't like people who are cocky but we want people who are confident. Yeah it's it is such an interesting dynamic. I would like to live happily in the middle, but again, life is all really just your own perspective. So the way that I see the world is actually my entire existence, so it's my whole life. So everyone's life.

Everyone's life is their perspective. Right. Exactly what it is. So I'd rather have, I personally would like to improve at things in life, so I do want to be able to have the self-awareness to see when I'm not good at something and be able to improve in that area. But I don't want to have over like this

just overhaul of insecurity that crushes me and cripples me where my happiness can flourish at any point. So I do think that you have to have a little bit of that delusion to be able to be a little happy. So let's call it out now. So basically having a little delusion is good. Yeah, you need to have a little happy. So let's, okay, so let's call it out now. So basically having a little delusion is good. Yeah, you need to, you need to have a nice middle ground where you're still happy and you're not overcome

with insecurity, but you have the self-awareness to see where you need to improve. Right, which is again my point, which is what amount is it? Like, well, you say, like, every individual little, it's too much. What's the, just right amount? But that's an individual question. It is is an individual question but I would like to explore this stunning thing just a bit further okay so here it says they can't seem to

recognize shortcomings there are no at all terrible quality they tend to have difficulties with their superiors and their peers. I know a lot of people like this. And so what I find interesting is, I guess that right there is my answer. I guess that right there is my answer, right? Vitamin water just dropped a new zero sugar flavor called with love. Get the taste of raspberry and dark chocolate

for the all warm, all all fuzzy all self-care Zero self-doubt you Grab a with love today vitamin water zero sugar nourish every you vitamin water is a registered trademark of glass Oh If you see if you are somebody who has a stunning Kruger effect, if you have problems getting along with people, and maybe if you're turning off people, technically, if you're having problems keeping relationships,

keeping a job, those things, then it becomes, then it's actually affecting your life. But if it's not, and you have lots of friends and a family that likes you, you know what, and to have a good job, like going to power to you. Keep going. Exactly. But it is, I like the idea that the one point that you made there about not being able to acknowledge your shortcomings, because I do think that that's one area that I value self-awareness in, because I think that's how you improve in life.

I think self-awareness is the key to everything. I think if you know thyself, I say it all the time, know thyself, know thyself, like having the ability to reflect and know yourself. A, if you don't have that ability to have any self awareness, you're not gonna know what you like, what you don't like, what you're, you know,

like what to lean into, what you're better at in terms of even personal dynamics with like relationships, I think it's the number one thing. Absolutely. Well, that was so fascinating. Thanks for bringing that up. I love that. Dunning Kruger effect. Yeah, the Dunning Kruger effect. So enough about impost, we know enough, we know a lot about impostor syndrome. And we've heard a lot about this. Now you're going to, now you just heard a little just heard a little bit of Denning Krueger. So I hope that gave you some kind of insight into a different personality type.

I'm joined the Facebook group. And join the Facebook group. Hope you enjoyed this episode. I'm Heather Monahan, host of Creating Confidence, a part of the YAP Media Network, the number one business and self-improvement podcast network. Okay, so I want to tell you a little bit about my show. We are all about elevating your confidence to its highest level ever and taking your business right there with you. Don't believe me?

I'm gonna go ahead and share some of the reviews of the show so you can believe my listeners. I have been a long time fan of Heather's, no matter what phase of life I find myself in, Heather seems to always have the perfect gems of wisdom that not only inspire, but motivate me into action. Her experience and personality are unmatched, and I love her go-getter attitude. This show has become a staple in my life. I recommend it to anyone looking to elevate their confidence and reach that next level. Thank you!

I recently got to hear Heather at a live podcast taping with her and Tracy Hayes, and I immediately subscribe to this podcast. It has not disappointed, and I cannot wait to listen to as many as I can as quick as I can. Thank you, Heather, for helping us build confidence and bring so much value to the space. If you are looking to up your confidence level, click creating confidence now. up your confidence level, click creating confidence now.