Source identified
Read & copy the quotation
“Want of confidence is perhaps a greater obstacle to improvement than is generally imagined.”
- Source
- Self-Help
- Date
- 1859
Meaning of “Want of confidence is perhaps a greater obstacle…”
Smiles argues that underestimating one’s ability can prevent effort before ability is ever tested; lack of confidence becomes harmful when it turns into hesitation and chronic non-attempt rather than realistic modesty.
Where does it come from?
Self-Help, Chapter XI, “Self-Culture—Facilities and Difficulties,” Project Gutenberg #935. In the discussion of decision and promptitude, Smiles argues that excessive guidance can weaken self-reliance and that lack of confidence can obstruct improvement by discouraging prompt action.
