Confidence, or arrogance?

A creative director recently called me confident. I was really shocked.

Here’s why…

It was a live voice over session for a really big client.

I love a live session and being directed, but being very honest, does anyone ever feel 100% confident? Not necessarily in your own abilities, but more in case the tech goes wrong or you get an uncontrollable bout of hiccups?

I was sight reading a long script.

I’d been sent the script just as the call was being set up. Having been a newsreader for much of my career, sight reading live doesn’t phase me at all. But sight reading scripts with typos and questionable grammar are never confidence-inducing.

It was a blisteringly hot day.

I could feel the sweat dripping off my face and my glasses steaming up. Not exactly a confident look.

But mostly, it shocked me because I’ve realised I’m a confident performer. and a confident voice over artist. And none of the above impacted their perception of my delivery or performance.

I’ve always steered away from confidence; never having had it in much volume, or truly knowing the balance between it and arrogance. But, doing the job I love and feel accomplished in, I think I’m finally there. I can finally say, I am confident.

How confident do you feel, doing what you do?