The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance---What Women Should Know

Just started but really an amazing read! About 150 pages in

Authors Katty Kay and Claire Shipman tackle the question of what differentiates confidence levels between people, largely between men and women. It’s a loaded question but one worth exploring. Moreover, they offer a deep dive in how we can nurture confidence in the next generation without raising armipotent tyrants. The tips and tools for confidence building in younger people were insightful and run counterintuitive to what we may think are confidence building habits. The gist of the books exploration comes down to how we maximize potential by removing self-doubt and pursuing mastery. Confidence is that spring board to action. To demonstrate this Kay & Shipman leverage exhaustive amounts of data from scientific studies, personality testing, and interviews to define and explore the roots of confidence. Though some of the confident person examples they hold up have proven to be the cringiest people in the public arena, their arguments still holds. These role models in confidence all highlight a key point in their respective journeys; the cumulative effects of little wins. Katy & Shipman also demonstrate the effects nature and nurture have on our levels of confidence. An answer I won’t spoil for you here. In the end, the confidence code, as the authors define it, is simple. Think Less, Take Action, Be Authentic. That combined with the compound rewards of little steps reminded me a lot of Atomic Habits by James Clear. These two books pair well together.