Fiducia

Picture two tigers in confrontation. The trespasser growls with such intimidation making meeker creatures sense impending danger and scurry away. The other tiger rises and gives a stare so intense it strikes the intruder with such fear that he trembles at the thought of further conflict. A mighty roar paralyses his opponent's will and warns him to never return again.

Scenarios such as the example above are common in the jungle, where battles are won and lost without physical confrontation. We, humans - albeit being more evolved and civilized - are no much different from wildlife as we employ the ultimate tool - Fiducia, Italian for confidence.

The reason I chose the Italian translation of it could perhaps be attributed to the mafia image portrayed in many movies and series alike; where mafia leaders employ can instil fear in their enemies by plain eye-contact.

It's proven when Vincent Curatola (one of the leading men in the hit series The Sopranos) was asked how he would deal with someone of 'higher authority',"After telling him to go to hell, I maintained eye contact. I didn't blink.", "It's a way of showing someone that you could be psychotic in a split second", he says.

But we're not all so violent, are we?

The more applicable employment of confidence is the one we use during our everyday lives. As many of you know, authentic confidence doesn't come from fancy clothes, bulging muscles (for guys), bulging other things (for girls), a thick wallet, or a pretty face.

There are certain people with these criterion yet have a deep inferiority complex. I say deep because ordinarily, it's well hidden under mountains of ego and money.

To me, authentic confidence comes from a myriad of factors, most of which doesn't include many of the above. The following is my personal checklist of why confidence is important. (just in case you haven't realized)

We use it when we meet people.
Someone who can be trusted.
People need to know that you are someone that has unlimited potential.
Someone who will be the last man standing when everything crumbles.

More importantly, we need it for ourselves..myself.
To be able to laugh at others as well as myself.
To be able to look into another's eyes without being self-conscious.
To know that winning does not always mean victory.
To know that in the end only I can shape the image of myself.
We need to know that when I say I can, I can.
When I say I must, I will.
To know that I am in control of my life.
I am the best.

Above everything else, we have got to know that we can trust our own word. Don't get what I mean? How many times have you told yourself that you must exercise only to end up parked comfortably in front of your TV?


To all my Indian machas, wishing you all Deepavali nal Vaalthukal! =D