--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Too little confidence, and you're unable…" description: "\"Too little confidence, and you're unable to act; too much confidence, and you're unable to hear.\" — John Maeda" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/john-maeda-11190_confidence_too-little-confidence-and-you-re-unable_1493356.png" --- # Too little confidence, and you're unable to act; too much… ![“Too little confidence, and you're unable to act; too much confidence, and you're unable to hear.” quote by John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/john-maeda-11190_confidence_too-little-confidence-and-you-re-unable_1493356.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/john-maeda-11190_confidence_too-little-confidence-and-you-re-unable_1493356.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/john-maeda-11190_confidence_too-little-confidence-and-you-re-unable_1493356.png) > “Too little confidence, and you're unable to act; too much confidence, and you're unable to hear.” [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing self‑belief is crucial; excess confidence blinds, insufficient confidence paralyzes. **In simple terms:** Confidence must be balanced to act and listen. Key Takeaway Find a healthy confidence level. Themes self‑esteem decision‑making communication Mood reflective cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - team meetings - public speaking Key Concepts psychology self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you gauge your confidence? - What signals tell you to adjust confidence? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can ignore feedback; underconfidence can miss opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Inspiring business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring-business/) [Too much confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much-confidence/) ## Related quotes > [Too much confidence or too little confidence can both hurt us equally .Be sensibly balanced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/too-much-confidence-or-too-little-confidence-can-both-hurt-us-equally/) Senoraroy > [The situation is that of him who is helpless, cannot act, in the event cannot paint, since he is obliged to paint. The act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/the-situation-is-that-of-him-who-is-helpless-cannot-act-in-the-event/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Pity is the feeling of well-intentioned people who are unable to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramoedya-ananta-toer/pity-is-the-feeling-of-well-intentioned-people-who-are-unable-to-act/) [Pramoedya Ananta Toer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramoedya-ananta-toer/) > [“I had the luxury of knowing what I wanted to do. So I just sat on the bed and came up with a plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/i-had-the-luxury-of-knowing-what-i-wanted-to-do-so-i-just-sat-on-the/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [I’m more comfortable with myself than when I was younger. I hated myself then. Wait, I didn’t hate myself – that’s a strong word.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-bonham-carter/i-m-more-comfortable-with-myself-than-when-i-was-younger-i-hated/) [Helena Bonham Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-bonham-carter/) > [No men can act with effect who do not act in concert; no men can act in concert who do not act with confidence;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/no-men-can-act-with-effect-who-do-not-act-in-concert-no-men-can-act/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/it-is-best-to-act-with-confidence-no-matter-how-little-right-you-have/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [It's good to get stage fright. It is necessary to be scared, otherwise you have too much confidence in yourself and you start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-benoit-dunckel/it-s-good-to-get-stage-fright-it-is-necessary-to-be-scared-otherwise/) Jean-Benoit Dunckel > [As the strongest faith may be shaken, so the weakest, where truth is, is so far rooted that it will prevail. Weakness with watchfulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sibbes/as-the-strongest-faith-may-be-shaken-so-the-weakest-where-truth-is-is/) [Richard Sibbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sibbes/) > [“Weakness with watchfulness will stand, when strength with too much confidence fails. Weakness, with acknowledgement of it, is the fittest seat and subject for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sibbes/weakness-with-watchfulness-will-stand-when-strength-with-too-much/) [Richard Sibbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sibbes/) > [We must know how to confide. There is the fear of God and the fear of a Judas. Too much fear makes one labour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/we-must-know-how-to-confide-there-is-the-fear-of-god-and-the-fear-of/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [“I say that every prince must desire to be considered merciful and not cruel. He must, however, take care not to misuse this mercifulness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-say-that-every-prince-must-desire-to-be-considered-merciful-and-not-2/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [We cannot play with fear nor with too much confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-tuchel/we-cannot-play-with-fear-nor-with-too-much-confidence/) [Thomas Tuchel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-tuchel/) > [Some players need it and some don't. Some have a little too much confidence. But bench players, guys in secondary roles, just need a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/some-players-need-it-and-some-don-t-some-have-a-little-too-much/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [There's no such thing as too much confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klaas-jan-huntelaar/there-s-no-such-thing-as-too-much-confidence/) [Klaas-Jan Huntelaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klaas-jan-huntelaar/) ## More by John Maeda > [Design is a solution to a problem. Art is a question to a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/design-is-a-solution-to-a-problem-art-is-a-question-to-a-problem/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Organization makes a system of many appear fewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/organization-makes-a-system-of-many-appear-fewer/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [How do we slow down what matters the most and speed up what benefits change and progress? We don't want to impede progress, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/how-do-we-slow-down-what-matters-the-most-and-speed-up-what-benefits/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [All I want to be is, someone that makes, new things and, thinks about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/all-i-want-to-be-is-someone-that-makes-new-things-and-thinks-about/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [I like stuff designed by dead people. The old designers. They always got it right because they didn't have to grow up with computers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/i-like-stuff-designed-by-dead-people-the-old-designers-they-always/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [The problem isn't how to make the world more technological. It's about how to make the world more humane again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/the-problem-isn-t-how-to-make-the-world-more-technological-it-s-about/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [We seem to forget that innovation doesn't just come from equations or new kinds of chemicals, it comes from a human place. Innovation in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/we-seem-to-forget-that-innovation-doesn-t-just-come-from-equations-or/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Design provides solutions, art asks questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/design-provides-solutions-art-asks-questions/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Skill in the digital age is confused with mastery of digital tools, masking the importance of understanding materials and mastering the elements of form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/skill-in-the-digital-age-is-confused-with-mastery-of-digital-tools/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [One of the challenges to our nation today is overcoming the notion that art is kind of a nice-to-have, when in reality art is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/one-of-the-challenges-to-our-nation-today-is-overcoming-the-notion/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Technological advances have always been driven more by a mind-set of 'I can' than 'I should' Technologists love to cram maximum functionality into their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/technological-advances-have-always-been-driven-more-by-a-mind-set-of/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Knowledge makes everything simpler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/knowledge-makes-everything-simpler/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [My role is to find strategic insights as to where design can have the most business impact. A designer can bring a viewpoint of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/my-role-is-to-find-strategic-insights-as-to-where-design-can-have-the/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Information is expanding daily. How to get it out visually is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/information-is-expanding-daily-how-to-get-it-out-visually-is-important/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [A book is a human-powered film projector (complete with feature film) that advances at a speed fully customized to the viewer's mood or fancy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/a-book-is-a-human-powered-film-projector-complete-with-feature-film/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) [Explore all 60 John Maeda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) ## 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 > [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": "Too little confidence, and you're unable to act; too much confidence, and you're unable to hear.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Maeda" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/too-little-confidence-and-you-re-unable-to-act-too-much-confidence/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/too-little-confidence-and-you-re-unable-to-act-too-much-confidence/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/john-maeda-11190_confidence_too-little-confidence-and-you-re-unable_1493356.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/john-maeda-11190_confidence_too-little-confidence-and-you-re-unable_1493356.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/john-maeda-11190_confidence_too-little-confidence-and-you-re-unable_1493356.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Too little confidence, and you're unable to act; too much confidence, and you're unable to hear.” — John Maeda", "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": "John Maeda", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Too little confidence, and you're unable...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/too-little-confidence-and-you-re-unable-to-act-too-much-confidence/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/too-little-confidence-and-you-re-unable-to-act-too-much-confidence/#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 } } ] } ```