Knowledge and Confidence

Knowledge and confidence are undoubtedly the two most important qualities one can possess.  Together they create a universal groundwork for success regardless of the mission at hand.  When combined, both knowledge and confidence directly fuel the promise of their counterpart, creating an unstoppable force of human potential.  But if one loses track of the other, chaos takes the driver’s seat.  The truth is that knowledge is almost completely useless without confidence, just as confidence is useless without knowledge.

Why do they rely so heavily on one another?  In simple terms, knowledge is the product and confidence is the method of delivery.

Knowledge without Confidence — Confidence is the vehicle for practical application. Without it most knowledge will remain at rest, never seeing the full potential of real world value. Knowledge without confidence is like a healthy set of lungs without air.

Confidence without Knowledge — Knowledge is the product of reason. How can someone possibly be confident in something they don’t understand? The answer is that confidence can also be driven by ignorance, although in this form it will eventually lead to failure. Without the backend support of knowledge, confidence is nothing more than misguided verve.  Confidence without knowledge is like a sports car with a lawnmower engine.

In its purest form, success is simply the byproduct of knowledge and confidence.

— Marc ChernoffInspirational Quote, Feb2014