Overconfidence makes you spend more than necessary

[Cryptomultiplier]

So, I went looking for something specific in a government office of recent and had to wait a long queue before it got to my turn because the deadline to get what I was looking for was just in two days time.
Then while I was almost getting through the process, a young chap walked in late and needed same thing but I didn't wait around to wait till he was through before I left.

The next day which is today, while I was almost through with my documents, same young chap came in and had a lot of complaints about how he made payments to the portal but was shown an error code. The man in charge of the document process was astonished because he was led to believe by this young chap, that because this young chap operated and owned a computer business center, he shouldn't have had such complications and compliant that would make him start afresh with the process.

His mistake was spelt out to him, but the thing is that the money he already paid is lost, he has to get a new email and a new phone number to start the process afresh and this time he was to wait like others for the man in charge to do the work for him.

While I listened carefully, the man in charge of the process told him about someone who owned one of the biggest computer business centers in town that is supposedly expected to know and handle things for himself, but was humble enough to go through the waiting process and left it in the hands of the man in charge to do the process. He didn't want complications and had to pay just once and got what he wanted. Whereas this young chap who was so overconfident in his abilities is having to pay twice and double, wait longer because he already missed the deadline as it stands.

The thing with overconfidence is that it tricks you into thinking you have more control, safety, or a better future prospects than you actually do, but in reality it is not as it seems.

The simplest defense against overconfidence from the lesson here is to learn to build structural friction into your decisions—like having to wait for long periods, having to trust the man in charge to do the job right, instead of risking the rules and making emotional decisions because of impatience and overconfidence in your abilities, because this could save you the financial stress of having to pay twice and double most times and save you the stress of looking stupid in front of others.

What do you think?

[Smartvirus]

Was this really over confidence or just ignorance? Perhaps an error by proxy or something or something similar.

I was hoping at some point in your write up, you would mention just what it is that he did wrong to have result in the payment error. That would have given a more clear idea on what really is the case here.

Some processes are made seamless if you already know the procedure. Mind you, certain details can always change and you need to be aware of them. Else, you wouldn’t have much need. In such situations, it isn’t over confidence, it’s just ignorance.

[abhiseshakana]

As a freight forwarding owner which working with government bureaucracy every day, both online and offline, ranging from those that are procedural and relaxed to those with tight deadlines and an urgent nature, i have different point of view from your story. I think what more dominant and becomes the root of the problem not overconfidence but the habit of procrastination not overconfidence.

My business principle small mistake big money, big mistake more money so for excelent execution need proper preparation including risk calculation. On my risk management, time is the greatest mitigation asset. When I putting off bureaucratic matters until close to the deadline, I deliberately and automatically reduce my safety net for making mistakes margin for error, so i must work under mission impossible mode which surely bloody and costly.

Error code on bureaucratic portal are such is life, I can not complained or rush it, just can wait based on work timeline, so i always put X factor on my own work timeline, risk management & cost calculation. When we can not execute perfectly then confidence become overconfidence. Self confidence is good, and doing everything on your own once in a while is also good, its make less dependence on others, but the habit of procrastination is a disease.

[savetheFORUM]

I think excess of anything is bad, whether it's confidence, pride, ego, or anything else in general, because if something crosses the limit, it starts to become a negative thing even if it isn't negative by nature. If a container can only take 100 apples, but you fill it with 150, then either the container will break or the apples will go bad because of extra force and pressure. I'm using this example to explain what I wanted to say above about crossing the limit.

A person who is doing really well in something, they should be confident about their skills and abilities, and that will allow them to continue doing better. However, the moment they get overconfident and start thinking that they are ahead of the whole world and no one can reach their level, they will automatically start making mistakes after that, out of overconfidence, and then others will start doing better than them. If they stayed humble and only were confident because of their performance, they wouldn't have to face the downfall.

So, it's obviously important for every person to do things within their limits if they don't want to ruin everything for themselves.

[Somegory]

Was this really over confidence or just ignorance? Perhaps an error by proxy or something or something similar.

I was hoping at some point in your write up, you would mention just what it is that he did wrong to have result in the payment error. That would have given a more clear idea on what really is the case here.

Some processes are made seamless if you already know the procedure. Mind you, certain details can always change and you need to be aware of them. Else, you wouldn’t have much need. In such situations, it isn’t over confidence, it’s just ignorance.

I do believe that overconfidence can make anyone to ignore what they shouldn't, the success you pass through things the easier it becomes to lose your own guard but OP arent we all humans? You can't always be perfect every year.

I was so zealous in the past years and it got boring at a time, like why am I taking everything too seriously? I relaxed and it changed me, I understand what you are saying here but at the same time I'm only human.

I will have confidence and lose confidence, active and less active, zealous and less zealous, it's fine because for what reason at the end of the day? Like I wouldn't leave this earth with anything.

[Dunamisx]

Some people are not able to listen attentively to details, and it is also important that we verify information to ensure that we avoid any other traces of making errors.

If someone called you an account number, confirm the same intended account numbers with him and also ensure that the account name Tally as well, some have lost in this manner and her left with no option than to embrace the Lost they have made through such mistake, sometimes it's not about being overconfidence alone, but some people are not just able to follow you process to avoid any slack chance of an error on mistake.

[Crypto_Timothy]

What do you think?

Its very funny how in life if you succeed, people will tag your success with bold and confident and "knowing exactly how to get things done" but if you fail at the task, unfortunately it will be attributed with over confidence, careless and other stuffs, of course not taking away any point from the story you shared but i just felt like pointing that out as well. It is always just so funny when i think about it but of course that not me encouraging ignorance, because ignorance is simply just ignorance, there is no 2 ways about it. If you did personal research about a task and feel you are ready for that task, then for sure go ahead and attempt it.

[Zlantann]

What do you think?

That young guy would have also gone through the process and gotten the desired results, and you would have celebrated him.  Overconfidence might have a negative effect because it leads to an overestimation of abilities. However, overconfidence leads to risk-taking, which is a good economic characteristic. Most of the successful business people are risk takers. They have a lot of confidence that they will be successful in projects in which they take risks.

But we should always know our limits and seek help when we can't carry out a task.

[Loyang]

In any case, excess is not good. It is good to be confident but excessive self-confidence makes you weak and makes you think that your opponent is weak. I myself have faced such a situation in several cases, although your case is not the same as mine, but it is similar to yours.

No matter what we want to do, we need to make our own ideas about that work. For example, what will we do if our work is not completed and will there be anything left for us to do then. The problem I faced was that we did not have enough time and at that moment I calmed myself down and decided to do the work again and then I became successful.

[Sobz]

Was this really over confidence or just ignorance? Perhaps an error by proxy or something or something similar.

I was hoping at some point in your write up, you would mention just what it is that he did wrong to have result in the payment error. That would have given a more clear idea on what really is the case here.

Some processes are made seamless if you already know the procedure. Mind you, certain details can always change and you need to be aware of them. Else, you wouldn’t have much need. In such situations, it isn’t over confidence, it’s just ignorance.

From the case of the person ordinary it seems ut would have been something the young man could have been able to do but i think the main challenge was a problem of network or something else that may have caused the payment error and because of the lack of experience made the young man not to succeed in it. The person who is in incharge have more experience but the decision the young man took to try for himself is nothing bad, just that the challenge will cost him more. Their are some people who have always done things for themselves and making a mistake is a way to learn more, but sometimes one needs to think about what he is about to do and if making mistakes will cause one to spend more it is just better for those who knows better to do job because they know better and have more experience to tackle every challenge.

[Dr.Bitcoin_Strange]

From you story, what I get is that the guy you are referring to, own a cybercafe, right? So, he is a computer literate but still was unable to do the documentary himself because he was overconfident that he can do it since he has a good knowledge in computer. The thing is, he was just ignorant, maybe if he had ask questions or make a proper inquiry about the process, he would have found out that it's only at that venue that he can successfully do it, probably since it's government related thing, individuals are not allowed to do it on their own and you can only be able to do it in accredited centers, so he didn't make such inquiry.

[TheUltraElite]

I would not talk good about government systems because where I live, they are poorly maintained even if the product at the time of launch was good for its time.

Still knowing what you are doing, being humble and following the rules that the people there have set up are good methods to prevent mishaps from happening. Usually for government related works, we in our country would make sure to carry 2x copies of all documents and have some spare at hand to get the job done in one day before their lunch break happens.

Still when computers were not that common, cyber cafe people used to be the ones filling forms and doing all the online stuff for a small amount of cash in our place.

[lovesmayfamilis]

I would not talk good about government systems because where I live, they are poorly maintained even if the product at the time of launch was good for its time.

Still knowing what you are doing, being humble and following the rules that the people there have set up are good methods to prevent mishaps from happening. Usually for government related works, we in our country would make sure to carry 2x copies of all documents and have some spare at hand to get the job done in one day before their lunch break happens.

Still when computers were not that common, cyber cafe people used to be the ones filling forms and doing all the online stuff for a small amount of cash in our place.

That's right. Everyone should stick to their own business. If there are people who are prepared to prepare documents in accordance with the necessary rules and do so regularly, then it's no coincidence that they're in that line of work. We can't know everything all at. Once, especially when it comes to these bureaucratic certificates and documents. Mistakes are inevitable. It's easier and cheaper to trust someone who can do it quickly and accurately. "The miser pays twice", a proverb created by both people and life itself. Just as "it's not scary to be confident, but it's very scary to be overconfident." These are very different things.

[Ruttoshi]

Maybe, the registration or process wasn't straight enough but need some technical ideas which the man in charge has been trained on. If it's something that you must be on the queue to get it done then, it's worth staying on the queue to avoid mistakes. It's just like you trying to register JAMB yourself when they're special people doing the registration for the candidates.

Over confidence is bad because it gives you a wrong impression that will cost you something.

[Taricoins]

Was this really over confidence or just ignorance? Perhaps an error by proxy or something or something similar.

I was hoping at some point in your write up, you would mention just what it is that he did wrong to have result in the payment error. That would have given a more clear idea on what really is the case here.

Some processes are made seamless if you already know the procedure. Mind you, certain details can always change and you need to be aware of them. Else, you wouldn’t have much need. In such situations, it isn’t over confidence, it’s just ignorance.

I feel a clearer picture should have been painted to better prove your point, but for me, I feel like it is overconfidence, aside from the story he told, another aspect is feeling overconfidence can make you spend more because you have the conviction that you are going to get the money back, accumulated feeling like that in several occasions can cause one to even go into debt. Just my take on the topic because I too have been in this boat of financial overconfidence

[hafiztalha]

The lesson is not that the confidence is a bad thing, but that the main concern when overconfidence makes people ignore the risks and procedures involved. The example that you have shared, in which the young man was assuming that he had experience with computers and that it was going to make him better handling the process than the person who was responsible for it but the results were completely opposite. He has to spend more money, his time is wasted and have to face greater amount of stress. There is also difference between humility and confidence

If a person is confident, he still can recognise that someone has more experience with particular system. Sometimes it feels inconvenient and very slow to follow the established process, but it helps and prevents a greater amount of loss that has to be faced later. Structural friction is not about blindly accepting inefficient system. Should try to learn from the process, verify steps and ask for help whenever it feels necessary.

[Jewan420]

When I have less experience than the officer in a task, it is better to get the task done by that officer. If you do a task regularly and you have real experience in that matter, then I would not call it overconfidence to do the task yourself. But not trusting the officer despite not having real experience is definitely the result of overconfidence and ignorance.

From my personal point of view, if I say, I know about electrical work and can do simple tasks, but this is not my profession or I do not do this work professionally. Despite knowing the work, I take the help of an experienced electrician in important cases. The reason for this is very natural, there is a big difference between experience and knowledge. Despite having knowledge, it is natural for me to make mistakes, but experienced people rarely make mistakes. Ignoring this fact, if I try to do the tasks myself, then if I make a mistake, it will definitely show my ignorance and it will also be expensive.

[Fortify]

So, I went looking for something specific in a government office of recent and had to wait a long queue before it got to my turn because the deadline to get what I was looking for was just in two days time.
Then while I was almost getting through the process, a young chap walked in late and needed same thing but I didn't wait around to wait till he was through before I left.

The thing with overconfidence is that it tricks you into thinking you have more control, safety, or a better future prospects than you actually do, but in reality it is not as it seems.

The simplest defense against overconfidence from the lesson here is to learn to build structural friction into your decisions—like having to wait for long periods, having to trust the man in charge to do the job right, instead of risking the rules and making emotional decisions because of impatience and overconfidence in your abilities, because this could save you the financial stress of having to pay twice and double most times and save you the stress of looking stupid in front of others.

What do you think?

I think the key thing is that overconfidence paired with inexperience can lead to mistakes, but you'll never really learn unless you do mess up occasionally. Those who play with fire learn not to do it again after getting burned and simply reading about someone else getting burned is not going to etch the sensation into your memory in the same way. But these are not really the lessons that I take away from your story, the first one is really that your country has inefficient bureaucratic government systems that should be the focus of improvements. The second is the person you describe is just a bad planner which should be the topic of conversation rather than their perceived superiority because they have a business in a certain sector. It sounded like they either did not follow the process correctly, or it was badly designed or they thought that they could skip some kind of queue simply because they felt they should be treated like a VIP. I'd say that seems more like arrogance than overconfidence and it's really not a good trait to possess.

[Odogwu-Blockchain]

If a deadline had occurred then the portal can no longer accept sign up and payment processes from any user, and if any user had made wrong payment during the time of portal openings, then there must be way of correcting from the back office.

The user who made such mistake might of course be overconfident, but there must be a way of handling that lost money that went astray.

[lombok]

The lesson is not that the confidence is a bad thing, but that the main concern when overconfidence makes people ignore the risks and procedures involved. The example that you have shared, in which the young man was assuming that he had experience with computers and that it was going to make him better handling the process than the person who was responsible for it but the results were completely opposite. He has to spend more money, his time is wasted and have to face greater amount of stress. There is also difference between humility and confidence

If a person is confident, he still can recognise that someone has more experience with particular system. Sometimes it feels inconvenient and very slow to follow the established process, but it helps and prevents a greater amount of loss that has to be faced later. Structural friction is not about blindly accepting inefficient system. Should try to learn from the process, verify steps and ask for help whenever it feels necessary.

You are correct, technical reasoning is usually clouded due to overconfidence, and it results in irresponsible practice and lack of adhering to proper procedure. The denial of the experience of senior staff leads to expensive and tragic mistake. Expert advice is lost in time and mind because of arrogance that refuses to listen to the expert.

Rational defense against system failure is to make compliance with slow work steps. The readiness to accept personal technical drawbacks becomes the way to address issues and not to obtain new losses. Humility erects reason above the prestige.