CONFIDENT DEFINITION:being fully assured of oneself CATEGORIES:achievement, identity, interactive SIMILAR ATTRIBUTES:secure, self-assured, proud POSSIBLE CAUSES: Being talented or gifted in some way Growing up in a loving, affirming environment Not being overly concerned with what others think; being happy with oneself Having faith in one’s abilities to achieve one’s goals Having experienced many successes in the past ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS: Standing tall with the shoulders back Looking people in the eye Walking with purpose Meeting challenges head-on Not compromising when challenged or opposed Trying new things Good-natured flirting; friendliness Facing change without fear or doubt Being able to laugh at oneself:Wow, I did a great job spilling the wine, didn’t I? Learning from failure Being assertive Having a strong work ethic Congratulating others on their success Initiating conversation with ease Not being intimidated by someone’s power, stature, or wealth Striking out on one’s own, if necessary Knowing what one believes and standing firm on those values Not being swayed by others Not taking oneself too seriously Curiosity Asking for help when one needs it Complimenting others; lifting them up instead of tearing them down Seeing others as partners and mentors instead of competitors Being socially adept Accepting criticism with dignity Focusing on the positive rather than the negative Being open-minded Finding solutions to problems instead of being stymied by them Educating oneself so as to become more competent in a given area Admitting when one has made a mistake Acknowledging weaknesses while playing to one’s strengths Focusing on what is within one’s control to change Smiling Taking compliments well Not always knowing one’s limitations ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS: I studied like crazy. Time to ace this test. This is what I was born to do. Someone’s got to manage this office. Why not me? Even Bill Gates started at the bottom. I’m not afraid of hard work. Wow, she’s beautiful. I’m going over and saying hello. ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:amusement, curiosity, eagerness, happiness, satisfaction POSITIVE ASPECTS:Confident characters know who they are and what they’re capable of. Because of their self-assurance, they don’t fall into the trap of worrying about what others think. They aren’t often threatened by people or difficult situations, instead seeing them as opportunities to grow and improve. Because confidence is such an enviable quality, others will naturally be drawn to the these characters. NEGATIVE ASPECTS:Confident characters can be threatening to those suffering from insecurity, who may see them as cocky or conceited. Their confidence can indeed lead these characters to think too highly of themselves, causing them to look down on others and have difficulty connecting with them. Their self-assuredness can also compel them to overestimate their abilities, setting them up for failures that wash their confidence in self-doubt. EXAMPLE FROM FILM:InThe Hunt for Red October, Jack Ryan knows his stuff. He’s an expert on naval intelligence and, specifically, Soviet Captain Marko Ramius. In his quest to prove Ramius’ good intentions, he takes on the president’s National Security Advisor, twice defies his fear of flying, and confronts Ramius himself, never doubting what he knows despite opposition by people in power.Other Examples from Film:John McClane (Die Hard), Jimmy Markum (Mystic River), Deloris Wilson (Sister Act) TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:catty, frivolous, humble, jealous, needy, oversensitive, suspicious, timid CHALLENGING SCENARIOS FOR THE CONFIDENT CHARACTER: PLOTLINE: Being in a scenario that reveals and magnifies one’s Achilles’ heel PLOTLINE: Experiencing a failure or tragedy that shakes one’s confidence PLOTLINE: Encountering a problem that one is incapable of mastering PLOTLINE: Discovering that a personal achievement is a false victory due to another’s meddling PLOTLINE: Encountering repeated failures that erode one’s confidence