Arrogance should never be confused with having an innate sense of self-respect and healthy confidence. Initially, these character traits may come across as similar, but if you look more closely, you will readily perceive how differently they manifest themselves in real life. With a little effort and insight, you can avoid the mistake of misidentifying a sense of self-importance and superiority with the real deal: a truly confident person with an inherent sense of peace, an openness to others’ thoughts and lifestyles, and with nothing to prove to anyone else. Let’s look at a few major differences between leading a self-assured life and a self-inflated existence.
Arrogance can often come from self-misconception and false perception, an inflated ego that tells the person they are better than all others around them. How a person views themselves is often contrary to how the rest of the world views them. Even if arrogant people truly have more talent than others in a given field, the idea that they are superior to others because of this talent still represents a skewed perception of themselves. After all, no one is perfect, everyone has faults, and there’s always someone out there better than you at your talent.
Arrogance is often an attempt by someone with low self-esteem to gain praise from others through false confidence. Through seeking praise from the outside world, they hope to gain a feeling of worth that they may not otherwise feel in themselves. Conversely, people with confidence are comfortable with their accomplishments remaining under wraps, and have no compelling need to consistently brag about their achievements.
Another aspect of arrogance is that it does not lead to loyal relationships, as arrogant individuals seem to only attract those who are looking to use them for the very things they brag about. Then, too, they might attract others with equally inflated egos, where their main connection is boasting of their accomplishments together and making others feel inferior to themselves. These types of negative relationships do not weather the harder times in your life, when things get difficult or problems arise. When the going gets tough, these fair-weather friends will be nowhere to be found.
Confident people, on the other hand, don’t need to belittle or put down others with less success in their lives in order to feel better about themselves or their accomplishments, as arrogant people often do.
Confidence has humility embodied within it, an inner strength that does not diminish others, but lifts them up with the unperceivable shining of their light – a sort of charisma resulting from a surety in who they are as human beings. Arrogance, on the other hand, has a person claiming, even demanding their proper respect and “adoration” from those beneath them, who they perceive to be cut from lesser cloth.
Confident people tend to be more aware and accepting of those times when they aren’t always in the right. They can live with the idea that no one is perfect and don’t feel unduly threatened when confronted with their mistakes or limitations. In contrast, arrogant people tend to think only their vision is correct, unlike confident people who are able to see other points of view, and if necessary, adjust accordingly.
People with confidence are not upset when challenged by others, whether the debate is regarding ideas, abilities, or opinions. Confident people are open and accepting of different viewpoints, while arrogant people often do not allow much room for debate, insisting instead that their thoughts and beliefs are the only ones that count.
Clearly, confidence and arrogance are on opposite ends of the character spectrum with one emerging as a virtue and the other, a most unpleasant vice.
10 thoughts on “Confidence vs. Arrogance: Know the Difference!”
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Dear XYV-
I am so so terribly sorry to read what you are going through. Thank you for your kind words.
And yes, I would like to help, but we can’t give here on the blog any readings, the only way I give readings if you call me here at CP. However, there are some excellent articles on this blog, I suggest reading through the blog articles- Please read Red’s responses to her column, as well as Verbena’s, they do offer wonderful advice and, If you feel a connection to me, you can also look up some of my articles, I wrote on here, and hopepfully you can get something out of these– until you have a change in your funds. I also suggest reading the article on here, “the power of prayer”….And please read our comments.
I hope I get the chance to help you one day. God Bless, Miss Krystal
Hello Miss Krystal!
I am crippled with all kinds of worries caused by a relationship and some approaching events. I long for some reassurance to help me get rid of my anxieties and this tension that is sometimes paralyzing. At times, this nervousness is so terrible, that I can’t think of anything else, obsessively. I beg you, please help me, I’ve been searching and searching for clarification and for psychics I can trust. I even had some health problems (depression, panic) because of these obsessive worries. I wouldn’t hesitate to schedule a phone conversation with you, but I am out of funds (I literally spent a few hundreds of dollars of some previous ones) and patience. You seem to be a reliable psychic and also a warm, friendly person who likes to help people. I tried to contact some psychics, got no answers, but maybe that was a good thing, as I was forced to search more and, finally, I found you. :).
Hey Alina
Loved the article, and I love writing about arrogance. A great scholar told me once that it is only arrogance if it is wrong. It it is truth otherwise. But you know, there is a fine line between the two. lol
Blessings
Hern
5239
Hiya,
Great article and lots of good points!!
To me…
Confidence: Open to the views of others, expresses their own star power & encourages others to express theirs too, uplifts or inspires.
Arrogance: Puts down others to cover up their own perceived sense of lack. Doesn’t celebrate the talents of others while boasting of their own.
Things to consider…
Those who DON’T boast could actually be lacking in confidence and the ability to celebrate their own success and good fortune!
It’s true that once people know your talents, some will attempt to use you. That’s why I demand that I’m respected. I’m not a doormat or good with being used BUT I do like to be of service to those who WANT to reciprocate. One might say: STOP letting people know about your talents BUT what about people who have public careers, like I do. Some of us don’t have a bevy of people promoting us so we need to do that for ourselves. What does one do in that case? If I don’t boast about my talents, I won’t get as much work. But aside from that I PREFER that people boast about their talents and good fortune. I WANT to know what their strengths are, what their proud of, etc.
Finally, what can we say about people who THINK someone else is arrogant or behaving in an arrogant way? Perhaps it’s projection. Because really, I don’t find many people are arrogant and I really appreciate a bold personality.
Thank you!
I agree with you, Jacqueline, bragging never sounds good. But as humans, sometimes people get excited, especially if they have never had anything before, and then they suddenly do…Sometimes a person is so excited, they want to share their joy on a new car, big trip or outfit they never could afford before, and they don’t realize, until later, that it may have sounded like bragging. Or, sometimes we make the mistake of just being too honest, and not realizing how it could sound. Of course, there are people who go on and on, and are always bragging, and that is not good. But I have found, with a lot of straight shooting/blunt personalities, that feel it is okay to be honest and share their joy. I think there is a fine line to this. What I do in these cases, is, I try to see the positive traits and “good” that the person who appears to be bragging has…..Or sometimes, in friendships, we think it is okay to tell our friend how happy we are that something good happened for us, and there is a misunderstanding. As a result, the person on the other end had their feelings hurt. It’s a fine line, like I said. I actually like a lot of people who have an arrogant side, don’t get me wrong, sometimes they can push a button lol but sometimes I can hear the “naked truth” in what some of them say….I bet if we told our friends, “Hey, I am happy for you that you got that car and big trip, but be careful, no offense, just trying to help, you do sound like you are bragging.” I bet most of our friends would apologize and agree. Just food for thought here. But I agree, bragging can definitely come off negative. Good point. Thanks. Hope you and your family are enjoying this wonderful season. Blessings.
Thank you Alina for wonderful article. You describe perfectly and percisely the personality traits of my husband and myself. There is a vast difference between arrogance and confidence and the former is a result of lack of self-esteem. The bel-ittling to make oneself feel so superior is what my husband has done to me for years. Thank you again and God Bless!
Hi Alina,
Great article, there is definitely a difference between confident and arrogant people, usually they let it be know what type they are, truly a confident person has no need to brag as well as they do admit there wrong, I always prefer to be friends with the confident one.
Blessings and Big Hugs!
Jacqueline x9472
Thanks for the great article, lots of info to take in…Confidence is also kind, but with strength-courage, yet, with some earthly warmth-pure enthusiasm being yourself, no matter who puts you down….to me that is real confidence….miss krystal
Interesting point of view; however, I must point out that not all confident people are open and giving as they are generously described here. This post stretches reality a bit as I’ve known some confident people to be idiots…