Who is the most confident person you know?

I believe that the most confident people I know tells me a lot about life in general. I have chosen two people as my answer, because they are tied in their confidence.

The first person I know who is oozing confidence is my 20 month old granddaughter, nicknamed Taisy. Taisy has complete confidence in every area of her life. She knows what she wants to eat, what she wants to wear, and what she wants to do. When she is tired, she doesn’t second-guess herself or try to force herself to continue to perform when she is exhausted, she just lays down and goes to sleep. She doesn’t worry about what others think of her. She is always singing, loud and proud, songs of her own creation and is never concerned that others may judge her. She is never afraid to try new things, and is very brave. She has 5 older brothers and sisters and is not intimidated by them or their successes. Taisy is a happy person, and very contented with her life.

The second person who is the most confident person I have ever known is my late father-in-law, Wil. Wil passed away three years ago at the age of 86. He was very successful in his careers, not afraid to try and really put himself out there. He worked in Detroit at the Ford Motor Company, and moved his family several times as his career changed and better opportunities presented themselves. He purchased a sailboat company in Oakland, California and sold beautiful yachts to the clientele there, giving his children the opportunity to learn to sail and enjoy the bay and the Pacific. He was confident enough to marry a second time, to an accomplished New Zealand woman half his age when he was traveling around the world doing consulting work. They settled in San Diego and he started a second family there. Wil was always confident in every area of his life, always positive and full of life and love. He is greatly missed.

These two are confident in two very different ways. Taisy has never really known failure, so she does not fear it. Wil didn’t care if he failed, and he did have some failures in his life, but Wil knew that no matter what he would keep trying and persevering until he succeeded.

I think confidence is casting aside fear of failure and fear of what others may think of you. It is a very attractive qualilty.