Interesting article. I was querying this too, because I felt I had such low confidence as a youngster, it held me back, but the article accepts this. Low confidence serves as a reality check and makes you more realistic and more likely to succeed. But *very* low confidence is indeed, a problem.

Quote: "Sure, extremely low confidence is not helpful: it inhibits performance by inducing fear, worry, and stress, which may drive people to give up sooner or later. But just-low-enough confidence can help you recalibrate your goals so they are (a) more realistic and (b) attainable."

Great stuff. Interesting read.

I think it's the sense of entitlement that goes with too much confidence that gives people big ideas, which then end up disappointing them. The entitlement some people seem to grow up with these days is very real.