--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Competence Starts with Feeling Competent" description: "\"“Competence Starts with Feeling Competent”\" — David Niven" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/david-niven-11597_competence_competence-starts-with-feeling-competent_3133015.png" --- # Competence Starts with Feeling Competent ![“Competence Starts with Feeling Competent” quote by David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/david-niven-11597_competence_competence-starts-with-feeling-competent_3133015.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/david-niven-11597_competence_competence-starts-with-feeling-competent_3133015.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/david-niven-11597_competence_competence-starts-with-feeling-competent_3133015.png) > ““Competence Starts with Feeling Competent”” [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling competent is the foundation for developing true competence. **In simple terms:** Confidence precedes competence. Key Takeaway Build confidence to improve skill. Themes self‑esteem skill development confidence growth performance Mood encouraging pragmatic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - public speaking - career advancement - sports training - creative projects Key Concepts psychology learning theory motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you nurture confidence without arrogance? - What practices reinforce genuine competence? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can lead to complacency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competence/) [Competence Starts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competence-starts-5549636/) [Competent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competent/) [Feeling Competent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-competent-5549635/) [Starts Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starts-feeling-259743/) ## Related quotes > [Not everyone in an organization is in a position to accumulate power through competent performance because most people are just carrying out the ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosabeth-moss-kanter/not-everyone-in-an-organization-is-in-a-position-to-accumulate-power/) [Rosabeth Moss Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosabeth-moss-kanter/) > [“(1) He must be competent, (2) he must exercise good judgment, and (3) he must have character. By itself, competence is meaningless without character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-g-moore/1-he-must-be-competent-2-he-must-exercise-good-judgment-and-3-he-must/) [Harold G. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-g-moore/) > [ Inequality is going to be a big issue, but competence is going to be the biggest issue. \[People\] want to see somebody that's super-competent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/inequality-is-going-to-be-a-big-issue-but-competence-is-going-to-be/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“A Sentient Incompetent employee is preferable to one who is Insentient Competent”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudhir-warier/a-sentient-incompetent-employee-is-preferable-to-one-who-is/) [Sudhir Warier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudhir-warier/) > [Modern children were considerably less innocent than parents and the larger society supposed, and postmodern children are less competent than their parents and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-elkind/modern-children-were-considerably-less-innocent-than-parents-and-the/) [David Elkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-elkind/) > [A good landscape painting is not just a demonstration of competent application of paint. It must offer a feeling of homage to the subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-shackleton/a-good-landscape-painting-is-not-just-a-demonstration-of-competent/) [Keith Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-shackleton/) > [I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-am-as-i-ve-said-merely-competent-but-in-an-age-of-incompetence-that/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [“Your driver is on the steer, driving you and you can feel free to doze in the car; this is trust built on competence.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/your-driver-is-on-the-steer-driving-you-and-you-can-feel-free-to-doze/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“It is the curse of the competent―not to be called upon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-priest/it-is-the-curse-of-the-competent-not-to-be-called-upon/) [Robert Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-priest/) > [Given its more substantial aim, a judgment is apt only if its constitutive alethic affirmation is not only apt but aptly apt. The subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/given-its-more-substantial-aim-a-judgment-is-apt-only-if-its/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [“Your confidence kills your fears when they appear. Your competence makes them not to appear at all. Be bold; do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/your-confidence-kills-your-fears-when-they-appear-your-competence/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Success is better than failure; an attempt is a better attempt, it is better as an attempt, if competent than if incompetent; and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/success-is-better-than-failure-an-attempt-is-a-better-attempt-it-is/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [The differences between a competent person and an incompetent person are demonstrated in his environment (surroundings).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/the-differences-between-a-competent-person-and-an-incompetent-person/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [“The upshot of all this is that we become competent, which is the most important quality to have if you’re an astronaut—or, frankly, anyone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/the-upshot-of-all-this-is-that-we-become-competent-which-is-the-most/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [“Our culture doesn't seem to value competence as much as it used to. Now we seem to want to do and get everything as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/our-culture-doesn-t-seem-to-value-competence-as-much-as-it-used-to/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) ## More by David Niven > [Tell me that I misunderstood a joke, but don't tell me that my choice of cravat is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/tell-me-that-i-misunderstood-a-joke-but-don-t-tell-me-that-my-choice/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [You can count on Errol Flynn, he'll always let you down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/you-can-count-on-errol-flynn-he-ll-always-let-you-down/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [“Not trying is, of course, the ultimate failure, for it means you can never make progress toward your goals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/not-trying-is-of-course-the-ultimate-failure-for-it-means-you-can/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [True leadership strengthens the followers. It is a process of teaching, setting an example, and empowering others. If you seek to lead, your ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/true-leadership-strengthens-the-followers-it-is-a-process-of-teaching/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [Malta is a sod of a place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/malta-is-a-sod-of-a-place/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [Keep the circus going inside you, keep it going, don't take anything too seriously, it'll all work out in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/keep-the-circus-going-inside-you-keep-it-going-don-t-take-anything/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [“Max, for some people there are no victories, just alternate forms of losing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/max-for-some-people-there-are-no-victories-just-alternate-forms-of/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [“When we spend time worrying about things that could go wrong, we’re not spending time trying to improve. Which means that worrying about things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/when-we-spend-time-worrying-about-things-that-could-go-wrong-we-re/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [Dreams don't have an expiration date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/dreams-don-t-have-an-expiration-date/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [You are not just here to fill space or be a background character in someone else's movie. Consider this: nothing would be the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/you-are-not-just-here-to-fill-space-or-be-a-background-character-in/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [“The Past Is Not the Future”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/the-past-is-not-the-future/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [“People who lack confidence not only fear doing things they are not good at, they actually start to fear performing tasks in which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/people-who-lack-confidence-not-only-fear-doing-things-they-are-not/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [“Have a purpose. Without a purpose nothing matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/have-a-purpose-without-a-purpose-nothing-matters/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [“People who care do a better job in everything they do. Why do people care? What inspires them? The answer is almost anything you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/people-who-care-do-a-better-job-in-everything-they-do-why-do-people/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [“Don’t write yourself off. If you don’t believe in yourself, you won’t be able to function.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/don-t-write-yourself-off-if-you-don-t-believe-in-yourself-you-won-t/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) [Explore all 59 David Niven quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) ## More Competence quotes > [A bad artist almost always tries to conceal his incompetence by whooping up a new formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-bad-artist-almost-always-tries-to-conceal-his-incompetence-by/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“You understand how much you know about a subject the moment you give explanations to someone who doesn't know anything about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigina-sgarro/you-understand-how-much-you-know-about-a-subject-the-moment-you-give/) [Luigina Sgarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigina-sgarro/) > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [“it is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didnt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-buren/it-is-easier-to-do-a-job-right-than-to-explain-why-you-didnt/) [Martin Van Buren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-buren/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [You can't fake competence, creativity, or sexual arousal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-can-t-fake-competence-creativity-or-sexual-arousal/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Everybody's got a different circle of competence. The important thing is not how big the circle is. The important thing is staying inside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/everybody-s-got-a-different-circle-of-competence-the-important-thing/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Friendships are nice. So is competence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/friendships-are-nice-so-is-competence/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Having spent years ruining the housing markets with their interference, leading to a housing meltdown that has taken the whole economy down with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/having-spent-years-ruining-the-housing-markets-with-their/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [ A nominee \[to Supreme Court\] must possess the competence, character and temperament to serve on the bench. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/a-nominee-to-supreme-court-must-possess-the-competence-character-and/) [Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/) > [Over the first two weeks of the Donald Trump administration, Steve Bannon has emerged as one of the most powerful figures in the White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/over-the-first-two-weeks-of-the-donald-trump-administration-steve/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [The individual attributes of warmth and competence are often perceived to be negatively correlated. That doesn't mean they actually are, but that's how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/the-individual-attributes-of-warmth-and-competence-are-often/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/do-not-stop-thinking-of-life-as-an-adventure-you-have-no-security/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Great writers zealously learn the craft of their profession so they can release the power and the depth of their imagination and experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/great-writers-zealously-learn-the-craft-of-their-profession-so-they/) [Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) [Browse all 452 Competence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Competence Starts with Feeling Competent”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Niven" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/competence-starts-with-feeling-competent/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Competence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/competence-starts-with-feeling-competent/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/david-niven-11597_competence_competence-starts-with-feeling-competent_3133015.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/david-niven-11597_competence_competence-starts-with-feeling-competent_3133015.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/david-niven-11597_competence_competence-starts-with-feeling-competent_3133015.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Competence Starts with Feeling Competent” — David Niven", "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": "David Niven", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Competence Starts with Feeling Competent”", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/competence-starts-with-feeling-competent/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/competence-starts-with-feeling-competent/#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 } } ] } ```