--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I suspect that self-deception is similar…" description: "\"“I suspect that self-deception is similar to its cousins, overconfidence and optimism, and as with these other biases, it has both benefits and disadva..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/dan-ariely-1899_confidence_i-suspect-that-self-deception-is-similar_2981380.png" --- # I suspect that self-deception is similar to its cousins… ![“I suspect that self-deception is similar to its cousins, overconfidence and optimism, and as with these other biases, it has both benefits and disadvantages. On the positive side, an unjustifiably elevated belief in ourselves can increase our general well-being by helping us cope with stress; it…” quote by Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/dan-ariely-1899_confidence_i-suspect-that-self-deception-is-similar_2981380.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/dan-ariely-1899_confidence_i-suspect-that-self-deception-is-similar_2981380.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/dan-ariely-1899_confidence_i-suspect-that-self-deception-is-similar_2981380.png) > ““I suspect that self-deception is similar to its cousins, overconfidence and optimism, and as with these other biases, it has both benefits and disadvantages. On the positive side, an unjustifiably elevated belief in ourselves can increase our general well-being by helping us cope with stress; it can increase our persistence while doing difficult or tedious tasks; and it can get us to try new and different experiences. We persist in deceiving ourselves in part to maintain a positive self-image. We gloss over our failures, highlight our successes (even when they’re not entirely our own), and love to blame other people and outside circumstances when our failures are undeniable. Like our friend the crab, we can use self-deception to boost our confidence when we might not otherwise feel bold. Positioning ourselves on the basis of our finer points can help us snag a date, finish a big project, or land a job. (I am not suggesting that you puff up your résumé, of course, but a little extra confidence can often work in our favor.) On the negative side, to the extent that an overly optimistic view of ourselves can form the basis of our actions, we may wrongly assume that things will turn out for the best and as a consequence not actively make the best decisions. Self-deception can also cause us to “enhance” our life stories with, say, a degree from a prestigious university, which can lead us to suffer a great deal when the truth is ultimately revealed. And, of course, there is the general cost of deception. When we and those around us are dishonest, we start suspecting everyone, and without trust our lives become more difficult in almost every way.”” [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self-deception boosts confidence and well‑being but can blind us to reality, leading to poor decisions and loss of trust. **In simple terms:** Self‑deception helps but can mislead. Key Takeaway Balance confidence with honest self‑assessment. Themes cognitive bias self‑esteem decision making Mood analytical cautious Type psychological inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - personal relationships - project planning Key Concepts self‑deception optimism bias motivational psychology Questions to Reflect On - When does confidence become harmful? - How can we check our self‑deceptions? A Different Perspective Overconfidence may cause risky choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boost Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boost-confidence-966645/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Overconfidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overconfidence/) [Overconfidence Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overconfidence-optimism-4639176/) [Positive self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-self/) [Self deception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-deception/) [Without trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without-trust/) ## Related quotes > [“found that positive self-talk can dramatically improve mood, boost confidence, increase productivity, and more. Much more. In fact, as evidenced by Professor Hart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-john-bishop/found-that-positive-self-talk-can-dramatically-improve-mood-boost/) [Gary John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-john-bishop/) > [“A society without trust isn’t a society: it’s a collection of people who are continuously afraid of each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/a-society-without-trust-isn-t-a-society-it-s-a-collection-of-people/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [But once you get accepted and are trained under the best coaches, these things really help boost your confidence level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mithali-raj/but-once-you-get-accepted-and-are-trained-under-the-best-coaches/) [Mithali Raj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mithali-raj/) > [“Well, there was a lack of naked men throwing themselves at me in your absence unfortunately so I’ve got nothing to help boost your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skyla-madi/well-there-was-a-lack-of-naked-men-throwing-themselves-at-me-in-your/) [Skyla Madi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skyla-madi/) > [The boost in confidence that kept me going in those early days when I was at Newcastle came from Peter Beardsley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-toney/the-boost-in-confidence-that-kept-me-going-in-those-early-days-when-i/) [Ivan Toney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-toney/) > [Fashion doesn't boost my confidence - rather, it provides a canvas to express or reflect it and whatever is influencing me in my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-ghosn/fashion-doesn-t-boost-my-confidence-rather-it-provides-a-canvas-to/) [Caroline Ghosn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-ghosn/) > [Winning the U.K. Open's a massive boost for my confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lewis/winning-the-u-k-open-s-a-massive-boost-for-my-confidence/) [Adrian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lewis/) > [I think any time you get a boost of confidence, it fuels you to do more, and that kept happening for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnamdi-asomugha/i-think-any-time-you-get-a-boost-of-confidence-it-fuels-you-to-do/) [Nnamdi Asomugha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnamdi-asomugha/) > [I learned how to sumon, from somewhere deep within, the extra will I didn't know I possessed. Knowing it was there, and could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-learned-how-to-sumon-from-somewhere-deep-within-the-extra-will-i/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [Routine and consistency are very important to me because I feel they kind of ease my nerves and give me a boost of confidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-ortega/routine-and-consistency-are-very-important-to-me-because-i-feel-they/) [Jenna Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-ortega/) > [I would have taken any number but getting seven was a big boost to my confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadon-sancho/i-would-have-taken-any-number-but-getting-seven-was-a-big-boost-to-my/) [Jadon Sancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadon-sancho/) > [Worlds helped me me boost my confidence up a lot actually. It made me a bigger, better, stronger gymnast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mykayla-skinner/worlds-helped-me-me-boost-my-confidence-up-a-lot-actually-it-made-me/) [MyKayla Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mykayla-skinner/) > [I feel being fit gives you a lot of boost to your confidence and your overall look. It transforms you entirely - not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hina-khan/i-feel-being-fit-gives-you-a-lot-of-boost-to-your-confidence-and-your/) [Hina Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hina-khan/) > [True friends love you through ups and downs, not just when they want to boost their confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-friends-love-you-through-ups-and-downs-not-just-when-they-want/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The crowd gives us so much energy and we are able to really feed off of it. Hitting those shots and having the crowd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/the-crowd-gives-us-so-much-energy-and-we-are-able-to-really-feed-off/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) ## More by Dan Ariely > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [ “\[..\] we human beings are ready and willing to steal something that does not explicitly reference monetary value - that is, something that lacks… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/we-human-beings-are-ready-and-willing-to-steal-something-that-does/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [It is true that from a behavioral economics perspective we are fallible, easily confused, not that smart, and often irrational. We are more like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/it-is-true-that-from-a-behavioral-economics-perspective-we-are/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [“Contrafreeloading,” a term coined by the animal psychologist Glen Jensen, refers to the finding that many animals prefer to earn food rather than simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/contrafreeloading-a-term-coined-by-the-animal-psychologist-glen/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [One of the big lessons from behavioral economics is that we make decisions as a function of the environment that we're in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/one-of-the-big-lessons-from-behavioral-economics-is-that-we-make/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Not all debt is bad. From time to time we should get into debt when there's a good reason for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/not-all-debt-is-bad-from-time-to-time-we-should-get-into-debt-when/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [“This result suggests that cheating is not driven by concerns about standing out. Rather, it shows that our sense of our own morality is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/this-result-suggests-that-cheating-is-not-driven-by-concerns-about/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [“ONE OF THE main differences between standard and behavioral economics involves this concept of “free lunches.” According to the assumptions of standard economics, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/one-of-the-main-differences-between-standard-and-behavioral-economics/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Money is all about opportunity cost. Every time you spend on something, that's something you can't spend on something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/money-is-all-about-opportunity-cost-every-time-you-spend-on-something/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [The people that lend you money basically give you an answer based on the risk that they are willing to take. But just because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/the-people-that-lend-you-money-basically-give-you-an-answer-based-on/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [“Upton Sinclair once noted, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.”)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/upton-sinclair-once-noted-it-is-difficult-to-get-a-man-to-understand/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [If you get people to feel that they are putting something, that they are creating it and so on, their love for the project…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-get-people-to-feel-that-they-are-putting-something-that-they/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [If I gave you now, $10 as a gift, how happy would you be? Would you be happy, is the marginal $10, the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-i-gave-you-now-10-as-a-gift-how-happy-would-you-be-would-you-be/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Imagine you have six loans, small to huge. People want to close loans and because of that, they try to pay off the small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/imagine-you-have-six-loans-small-to-huge-people-want-to-close-loans/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [“he started by selling his Porsche Boxster and buying a Toyota Prius in its place.4 “I don’t want to live the life of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/he-started-by-selling-his-porsche-boxster-and-buying-a-toyota-prius/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) [Explore all 198 Dan Ariely quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I suspect that self-deception is similar to its cousins, overconfidence and optimism, and as with these other biases, it has both benefits and disadvantages. On the positive side, an unjustifiably elevated belief in ourselves can increase our general well-being by helping us cope with stress; it can increase our persistence while doing difficult or tedious tasks; and it can get us to try new and different experiences. We persist in deceiving ourselves in part to maintain a positive self-image. We gloss over our failures, highlight our successes (even when they’re not entirely our own), and love to blame other people and outside circumstances when our failures are undeniable. Like our friend the crab, we can use self-deception to boost our confidence when we might not otherwise feel bold. Positioning ourselves on the basis of our finer points can help us snag a date, finish a big project, or land a job. (I am not suggesting that you puff up your résumé, of course, but a little extra confidence can often work in our favor.) On the negative side, to the extent that an overly optimistic view of ourselves can form the basis of our actions, we may wrongly assume that things will turn out for the best and as a consequence not actively make the best decisions. Self-deception can also cause us to “enhance” our life stories with, say, a degree from a prestigious university, which can lead us to suffer a great deal when the truth is ultimately revealed. And, of course, there is the general cost of deception. When we and those around us are dishonest, we start suspecting everyone, and without trust our lives become more difficult in almost every way.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dan Ariely" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/i-suspect-that-self-deception-is-similar-to-its-cousins/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/i-suspect-that-self-deception-is-similar-to-its-cousins/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/dan-ariely-1899_confidence_i-suspect-that-self-deception-is-similar_2981380.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/dan-ariely-1899_confidence_i-suspect-that-self-deception-is-similar_2981380.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/dan-ariely-1899_confidence_i-suspect-that-self-deception-is-similar_2981380.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I suspect that self-deception is similar to its cousins, overconfidence and optimism, and as with these…” — Dan Ariely", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dan Ariely", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I suspect that self-deception is similar...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/i-suspect-that-self-deception-is-similar-to-its-cousins/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/i-suspect-that-self-deception-is-similar-to-its-cousins/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```