There’s a Difference Between Confidence and Self-Esteem

And why it matters

Most people use the words confidence and self-esteem interchangeably. Differences between the two exist, though, and it matters how these terms are used.

What’s self-esteem?

You can accurately swap the word esteem with approval. When you hold someone in high esteem, you approve of them. If you have healthy self-esteem, you approve of yourself.

Many people lack strong self-esteem because they disapprove of themselves, imagining they aren’t good enough. If you have self-esteem issues, the remedy is to recognize your value so you see yourself as acceptable and worthwhile.

What is self-confidence?

Confidence is about certainty. When you are confident, you believe you are capable. So, you might be satisfied that you can ride a horse or take care of your finances.

Still, while you are confident of your ability to handle most everyday tasks, you might need more faith in yourself to do other jobs like speaking in public or sailing. So self-confidence ebbs and flows, depending on the situation.

To increase self-confidence, you might stretch from your comfort zone and discover you are far more capable than you imagine, resulting in the domino effect — as your self-confidence grows, your courage will expand.

Why does it matter which word you use?

Self-esteem and self-confidence share similarities. They are also different, though. You can suffer from low self-esteem even if you are bold and self-confident. This is why some people who appear extremely confident lack self-love and secretly need constant approval.

If your self-esteem is low, your image of yourself is damaged, and you don’t recognize your value. You can’t fix the problem by running further than anyone else, climbing the career ladder, or collecting accolades. Hence, many celebrities, film stars, and people in the limelight who are prosperous and popular have low self-esteem. They don’t feel good enough.

Lack of self-esteem exists on a primal level; it seeps into your psyche and influences everything you do. Lack of confidence is usually solved by gaining knowledge, expanding skills, and practicing until your ability increases.

Often, self-esteem issues are created in childhood when kids’ brains are developing fast and are easily manipulated by the environment. You may also lose self-esteem after a hard knock or setback like an enduring illness or a painful life event.

Changing your self-esteem involves polishing your self-image and seeing how you shine. As it exists in the subconscious, that’s where work needs to be accomplished for effective change.

Recognizing whether you have low self-esteem or lack confidence is essential so you can appreciate how to tackle the issue. Using the words correctly also helps you understand yourself and other people.