logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
1h 11m

The Neuroscience of Confidence | Ian Rob...

10% Happier
About this episode

What confidence does to your brain, why it helps with anxiety, and how to get it if you don't already have it. Plus, the problem with overconfidence.

 

Ian Robertson is a Professor Emeritus in Psychology at Trinity College and was the founding director of Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience. He has written five books, the latest of which is called, How Confidence Works.

 

In this episode we talk about:

  • What confidence actually is
  • How to boost confidence 
  • The dangers of overconfidence, and how to guard against it
  • The role of anxiety and failure
  • The "Oscar effect”, and why winners tend to live longer
  • How to reframe anxiety as excitement 
  • The role of gender, race, and class on confidence levels
  • The importance of distancing yourself from confidence saboteurs 
  • And much more

 

Related Episodes:

 

 

Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes

 

Up next
Yesterday
How To Find Calm in a World on Fire | Pico Iyer
The antidote to a noisy, chaotic world. Pico Iyer is the acclaimed and bestselling author of more than a dozen books translated into twenty-three languages, most recently the nationally bestselling Aflame: Learning from Silence. In this episode we talk about: Why and how Pico fou ... Show More
1h 9m
Oct 6
Are You a Grudge Holder or a Revenge Seeker? Here’s How It’s Hurting You – And How To Get Over It | James Kimmel, Jr.
The psychology and neuroscience of revenge. James Kimmel, Jr. is a lecturer in psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, an expert on revenge, a lawyer, and the founder and co-director of the Yale Collaborative for Motive Control Studies. He is the creator of The Nonjustice Syst ... Show More
1h 11m
Oct 5
Sebene Selassie On: Resiliency, Rewriting Your Patterns and Finding a Teacher Who Speaks to You
We’re in the midst of an exciting evolution of the overall 10% Happier project. In our quest to make this podcast more actionable – to help you operationalize all the game-changing ideas you encounter on this pod – we’re now offering guided meditations to accompany each full epis ... Show More
24m 15s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Want to be Happier? Confidence Can Help
Trying new things. Setting Goals. Rebounding from setbacks.  All of these tasks have at least one thing in common – they require confidence. And according to neuropsychologist Ian Robertson, confidence can also make us happier. Robertson is the T Boone Pickens Distinguished Chair ... Show More
38m 40s
Aug 1
5 Game-Changing Rituals to Reclaim Your Confidence, Even When You Feel Unlovable | WOI Experts (Fan Fav)
This is a fan fav episode. You can be in a room full of people and feel completely alone. You can also have hundreds of relationships in your life and more friendships than you can count and feel unlovable and unworthy of love. History of abuse, emotional trauma and attachment is ... Show More
1h 45m
Mar 2024
The Ripple Effect Of Confidence AudioChapter from The Confidence Formula AudioBook by Patrick King
The Confidence Formula: May Cause: Lower Self-Doubt, Higher Self-Esteem, and Comfort In Your Own Skin (Be Confident and Fearless Book 8) By: Patrick KingHear it Here - https://bit.ly/ConfidenceFormulaKing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0994VF5XH 00:16:21 Low Confidence Characteristic ... Show More
58m 13s
Sep 2024
Lisa Bilyeu: How to Master Your Ego and Build Radical Confidence
What if the only thing standing between you and real confidence is your fear of failure? In today’s episode, I’m joined by someone who knows exactly how to turn challenges into confidence. Lisa Bilyeu, co-founder of Quest Nutrition and the host of Women of Impact, shares her powe ... Show More
1h 10m
Jun 2025
Cognitive Psychologist: Break Free from a Victim Mindset | Scott Barry Kaufman
What if the greatest obstacle to reaching your potential isn't external barriers, but a mindset in which you see yourself as a victim? Today, I’m stoked to welcome back my good friend and one of my favorite thinkers, Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman. This is Scott’s third time on the podc ... Show More
57m 16s
Feb 2025
7 Ways to Train Your Brain to Go From Insecurity to Confidence
How do you react when you feel insecure? What past experience boosted your confidence? Today, Jay explores how you can break free from insecurity and build lasting confidence using science-backed techniques and practical mindset shifts. Jay opens the episode by addressing the inv ... Show More
30m 11s
Aug 2023
Is Your Need for Approval Causing Anxiety? A Talk with Dr. Aziz
Send us a textIn this episode, we delve into the complexities of anxiety with Dr. Aziz Gazipura. We explore four primary frameworks that explain the origins of anxiety: 1. Exposure: Anxiety stems from avoiding certain situations. 2. Cognitive: Irrational thoughts can escalate our ... Show More
44m 54s
Jul 17
From Victim to Victor: Rise Above Trauma with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman
What if the biggest obstacle holding you back isn’t your past but your mindset? Psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD, challenges everything you think you know about trauma, resilience, and personal growth. In this episode, you’ll discover why labeling every setback as “trauma” c ... Show More
17m 30s
May 2024
258 - Using Brain Science to Increase Self-Esteem with Dr. Simone Alicia
What if I told you that there was a science to having confidence and healthy self-esteem? Today’s guest, Dr. Simone Alicia, is The Self-Esteem Doctor 👩🏾‍⚕️She’s a self-esteem expert & motivational speaker who is deeply passionate about self-development and nourishing the mental ... Show More
51m 6s
Sep 10
7 Science-Backed Frameworks That Will Rewire Your Brain for Unshakable Confidence
Andrew Huberman will be on stage at The Summit of Greatness, happening September 12 & 13! Get your ticket today!What if I told you that the reason you've struggled with confidence your whole life has nothing to do with motivation and everything to do with your nervous system? Aft ... Show More
1h 8m