VIDEO: How do you differentiate your ‘confidence’ from ‘pride’ that people see?

How do you identify arrogance from self-assurance? 

I know a picture comes to mind. Right? Well, we all have one person like that.

I also just remembered Comfort, a secondary school bestie of mine, who used to burn candles just to prepare for school debates. 

She spent nights studying, practicing her voice, and building her points. On the debate day, she walked to the stage with her shoulders straight and a smile on her face. Even though she was nervous, she believed in her preparation. That was confidence.

But after the debate, another student, Kunle, who didn’t even make it to the finals, kept mocking others and boasting about how “he could have done better if he wanted.” He tried to make himself look big by bringing others down. That was not pride, that was arrogance.

When Comfort’s  team won, she thanked her classmates, acknowledged her opponents, and gave credit to her teachers. Everyone clapped, not just because she won, but because she showed them the true meaning of confidence without arrogance.

In today’s image-driven world, the line between self-assurance and arrogance can often feel blurred. 

While confidence and pride are frequently mistaken for one another, understanding the difference is essential for personal growth, healthy relationships, and effective leadership.

Though both confidence and pride relate to how we see ourselves, they carry very different implications. Confidence is rooted in self-belief and humility. 

Pride, however, can either affirm us or alienate others—depending on how it shows up. Misunderstanding the difference can lead to three things. And these are what we discussed here — visually — just for you. 

The Oxford Dictionary defines confidence as a sense of trust in oneself and one’s abilities. It reflects competence, self-assurance, and openness to growth.

Pride, however, has a dual nature. It can be healthy, a sense of dignity and accomplishment or harmful when it becomes hubristic, characterized by superiority and arrogance.

A confident person acknowledges both strengths and flaws, while a proud person may mask insecurity with a façade of perfection.

The Ego Trap

I don’t just want to write about Ego traps. I know you might have read something before. 

Instead, I present a video for you to watch, and let me know your thoughts. 

But while you do that, I’ll say this briefly. 

Pride often partners with ego, tricking individuals into thinking they’ve already ‘arrived’ or mastered it all. 

True confidence, in contrast, keeps one teachable and open to new ideas. Even then, confident people are sometimes misunderstood and perceived as proud simply because their self-assurance threatens someone else’s insecurities.

Understanding the line between confidence and pride is more than a philosophical debate .It’s a practical key to emotional intelligence, strong leadership, and meaningful human connection. One elevates, the other isolates.

Let me not bore you with ‘So Long a Letter’ here; the video below details the difference between pride and confidence. 

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