OVER Confidence – An illusion

An overconfident person handicaps himself and stays in an illusion – Prerna Dua

Just as being under confident has its cons being overconfident has its own drawbacks. There is a thin line between being confident and being overconfident. So let me take you through my client’s case study to discuss it deeply.

One of my clients from Mumbai who is working in Larson and Turbo from last 10 year, 37 years old has a childhood dream to become a Charted Accountant. He even cleared 3 groups 15 years back but then he suffered from schizophrenia. He went through a trauma after his cousin who he believed to be less intelligent than him, who he also counselled to choose CA as a career cleared his CA final exams but he himself flunged.

However, since then my client is permanently employed and was also getting his treatment done alongside which healed him gradually. By god’s grace he got a really supportive workplace and family which contributed to his healing big time. His illness did not stop him and year after year he has been appearing for CA exams but failed every single time. He appeared for both the groups in single attempt that is 8 subjects at a time when he was not able to study a single page in a day after his diagnosis.

Taking failure is a big deal and he internalised his failure which surfaced as a mental health disorder later. But if you can handle failure in this competitive world nobody can ever beat you up.

Moreover, he has been an active socially such as he is an active member of in every WhatsApp group and he also got himself into Toastmasters Club which was distracting him from putting his efforts for the real thing. He was so much in his comfort zone that he has been working in the same firm from last 10 years where many people shift their organisations for better career prospects.

One fine day after attending my webinar he approached me for counselling sessions in 2021. We figured his problem in few sessions and with a lot of push and break throughs he was able to complete his syllabus for the first time in last 10 years however it was as difficult as moving a huge rock from its place. At first he was reluctant to even enroll himself for a test series which is a parameter to check his progress.

His overconfidence was evident when he started taking counselling, he was just about to appear for his CA exams and he was super confident in clearing it this time. But when the results came out he dint make it, infact he failed poorly. This happened in the next attempt as well.

Surprisingly when the result came, he perceived it so positively that no worries he has done better than the last attempt and came out even more stronger. On the outer, it may appear as a bounce back, as the most resilient approach where other people are unable to handle failure. But in his case, his overconfidence was making his life more difficult as he was not able to see the real situation, his situation was wrapped in the bling gift wrap paper.

For as long as he remembers, he has been full of himself and overly confident. I made strategies for him and he also surrendered himself to my guidance. He didn’t took any test series till then or any coaching for his subject areas. He also carried a strong belief that becoming CA is a marathon not a race, people are clearing CA at the age of 60 - 62 also.

He was in no hurry and hence he was not giving his 100%. It is his second attempt after taking sessions from me. I may not have helped him with the technicalities of CA but a correct mindset changes everything. One strategy doesn’t fit all.

As a result, It’s his best preparation till now he even got exempted from one subject in his last attempt because of high score in that particular subject. Today I hope him to clear it with flying colours.

Moral of the story, keep a balance between your dreams and your efforts. Sometimes it takes a coach to make you realise where you actually stand. Hence, it is important to be harsh on yourself sometimes. Only optimism doesn’t sail you through.