Overconfidence

I've been thinking about how it is possible to define one thing in two very different ways. Depending on the spin you put on a situation, or the words you use, it can look so different, like night and day. What one person may call inquisitive, another may call nosy. Athletic can be hyper. Faithful can be close-minded. Open-minded can be flighty. Fixated can be determined. Introverted can be thoughtful. It all depends on the spin.

I live with a determined pessimist. He actually has backed off his eternal gray fog since he married me (I like to think I have something to do with that), but he is still definitely on that side of the fence. And actually, I've adopted a bit of his murky attitude in some situations. It is kind of fun sometimes (and grounding) to imagine the bad that can happen in any given circumstance. But generally it is useful, especially with kids, to be generally upbeat. So I've been trying to reconvert myself. My mantra, or theme, if you will, this year is overconfidence. It puts me firmly in the optimist realm.

I got this from that great American classic, Dancing With The Stars. I haven't actually seen a whole episode of this program. Once when I was flipping through the channels, I paused. One of the teachers on this program commented on how he would much rather deal with overconfidence then lack of ... overconfidence causes someone to see mistakes as a fluke, and under confidence tends to make people define mistakes as defeat. It seemed a useful strategy, so I thought I would try it this year.

It has served me well so far. I don't dwell on mistakes. I acknowledge them as a strange hiccup in my otherwise expert performance. When I make a mistake, I acknowledge it, but say to myself, "that is weird, I always get that right." And then I move on. Chances are, the next time I do get it right.

Try it, it makes you really happy ... or delusional, depending on your perspective.