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
Nov 21
The Dharma of Anxiety and Depression | Leslie Booker
<p dir="ltr">Anxiety. Depression. Perfectionism. Dan and meditation teacher Leslie Booker get real about how these challenges show up in their own lives — and how mindfulness, community, and sometimes medication can actually help. Recorded live at New York Insight, this conversat ... Show More
31m 12s
Nov 19
How To Get Out Of Your Head: Joseph Goldstein and Sam Harris on Nirvana, Non-Clinging, Non-Duality, and the Best Way to Meditate
<p dir="ltr">Which is the best path to freedom?</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.dharma.org/teacher/joseph-goldstein/">Joseph Goldstein</a> is a cofounder of the <a href= "https://www.dharma.org/">Insight Meditation Society</a> and the <a href="https://www.buddhistinquiry.o ... Show More
1h 31m
Nov 17
Longevity Science Without the Fear or Bullshit | Dr. Kerry Burnight
<p dir="ltr">An expert in Gerontology shares the four core habits for aging well.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://drkerryburnight.com/">Dr. Kerry Burnight</a> is a gerontologist, caregiver advocate, and founder of the Gerontology Institute at ... Show More
1h 14m
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
<p><em>What if the greatest obstacle to reaching your potential isn't external barriers, but a mindset in which you see yourself as a victim?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</em></p><p>Today, I’m stoked to welcome back my good friend and one of my favorite thinkers, Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman. Th ... 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
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1882875/open_sms">Send us a text</a></p><p>In this episode, we delve into the complexities of anxiety with <a href='https://www.socialconfidencecenter.com/'>Dr. Aziz Gazipura</a>. We explore four primary ... Show More
46m 22s
Jul 2025
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
<p>What if I told you that there was a science to having confidence and healthy self-esteem?<br/><br/>Today’s guest, Dr. Simone Alicia, is The Self-Esteem Doctor 👩🏾‍⚕️She’s a self-esteem expert &amp; motivational speaker who is deeply passionate about self-development and nouri ... Show More
51m 6s
Sep 10
7 Science-Backed Frameworks That Will Rewire Your Brain for Unshakable Confidence
<p>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? After 12 years of interviewing the world's top experts and my own journey from crippling insecurity to building ... Show More
1h 8m