Publisher Description

"I can't remember the last time I finished reading a book and wanted to applaud…. Life-changing."—Heidi Grant Halvorson, PhD, author of Focus
 
If you picked up this book because you want to increase your confidence, you are not alone. Like most people, you probably think that being highly confident would make you more likable, more employable, and more successful. But you'd be wrong.

In this paradigm-shifting book, world-renowned personality expert Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic reveals that, beyond making you feel good, high confidence has no genuine benefits, and it may even be self-destructive. Low confidence, however, helps us make realistic risk assessments, protects us from disastrous situations, and encourages us to become more competent—which is the real key to achievement. Intelligent and thought-provoking, Confidence shows you how to make your insecurities work for you in every facet of life.
 
"Maybe you have always intuited…that all the talk about boosting self-confidence and raising self-esteem is not the answer to success or happiness. This charming and thoroughly fact-based book will give you the evidence to back your wisdom, that being kind and competent works best."—Elaine Aron, PhD, author of The Highly Sensitive Person and The Undervalued Self

Author Biography

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Ph.D., is professor of business psychology at University College London and the vice president for research and innovation at Hogan Assessments and an international authority in personality assessment, consumer analytics, and talent management. He divides his time between London and New York City.

Review

"Confidence nails it—if you want to achieve great things, you are better off being your own worst critic than your own biggest fan. Read this book and you will never look at the concept of self-esteem the same way again."—Laura Vanderkam, author of All The Money In The World and What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast
 
"Compelling and zippy."
—Financial Times
 
"I can't remember the last time I finished reading a book and wanted to applaud.  Confidence is a life-changing book—it will convince you, through brilliant arguments and an abundance of compelling evidence, that much of the advice you've been given on how to be successful is worse than useless.  In fact, it's been holding you back.  Before you read anything else, read Confidence."
—Heidi Grant Halvorson, PhD author of Focus and Succeed
 
"Outstanding."
—Inc.com
 
"A provocative work, an excursion into the role of confidence at work, in relationships, and the impact on leading a healthy life. Dr. Chamorro-Premuzic repeatedly challenges our beliefs, which makes for a stimulating read."
—The Globe and Mail
 
"Maybe you have always intuited, as most sensitive people do, that all the talk about boosting self-confidence and raising self-esteem is not the answer to success or happiness. This charming and thoroughly fact-based book will give you the evidence to back your wisdom, that being kind and competent works best."
—Elaine Aron, PhD, author of The Highly Sensitive Person and The Undervalued Self 
 
"Interesting and transformative thinking that will not only have you accepting your inner critic and low self-confidence, but embracing it.... Chamorro-Premuzic writes in a kind, gentle, yet authoritative tone that will inspire the "insecure" reader and retire the over-confident ones....a new and enlightened perspective...This book is required reading for any professional." 
—Small Business Trends 

"An expose of the dark side of confidence. I absolutely loved it, because it shatters so much incorrect but conventional wisdom with key scientific research."
—Matthew E. May, Rise Networks
 
"Chamorro-Premuzic has rethought confidence – shattering myths about what generates confidence but also reassessing low confidence as a positive attribute. A fresh, more balanced, approach, presented in a well-researched, accessible, and, indeed, enjoyable format. I like this book: a lot."
—Robert Kelsey, author of What's Stopping You?
 
"Pleasingly counterintuitive."
--Elle
 
"Buy and read this book. Give it to a young person...I dare say I'm confident it could turn a life of miserable self-doubt into a life of empowerment."
—Doug Michaelides, Vice President and Practice Leader, Sales and Marketing, for Stratford Managers Corporation
 
"Persuasively argues that we've taken our culture of self-assurance and self-promotion too far."
—Harvard Business Review

Review Quote

" Confidence nails it-if you want to achieve great things, you are better off being your own worst critic than your own biggest fan. Read this book and you will never look at the concept of self-esteem the same way again."- Laura Vanderkam, author of All The Money In The World and What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast "Compelling and zippy….this is an excellent antidote to the over-exuberant and narcissistic self-help industry."- Financial Times "Maybe you have always intuited, as most sensitive people do, that all the talk about boosting self-confidence and raising self-esteem is not the answer to success or happiness. This charming and thoroughly fact-based book will give you the evidence to back your wisdom, that being kind and competent works best."-Elaine Aron, PhD, author of The Highly Sensitive Person and The Undervalued Self "Confidence persuasively argues that we've taken our culture of self-assurance and self-promotion too far."- Harvard Business Review "I can't remember the last time I finished reading a book and wanted to applaud. Confidence is a life-changing book - it will convince you, through brilliant arguments and an abundance of compelling evidence, that much of the advice you've been given on how to be successful is worse than useless. In fact, it's been holding you back. Before you read anything else, read Confidence. "-Heidi Grant Halvorson, PhD author of Focus and Succeed "Fascinating."-the Irish Times "Chamorro-Premuzic has rethought confidence shattering myths about what generates confidence but also reassessing low confidence as a positive attribute. A fresh, more balanced, approach, presented in a well-researched, accessible, and, indeed, enjoyable format. I like this book: a lot."-Robert Kelsey, author of What's Stopping You?

Details