--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Confidence is like a sliding scale, but…" description: "\"Confidence is like a sliding scale, but courage is something I can work on - the courage to show up and the courage to do things, even if it scares you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/naomi-ackie-6367_confidence_confidence-is-like-a-sliding-scale-but-c_1204002.jpg" --- # Confidence is like a sliding scale, but courage is… ![“Confidence is like a sliding scale, but courage is something I can work on - the courage to show up and the courage to do things, even if it scares you.” quote by Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/naomi-ackie-6367_confidence_confidence-is-like-a-sliding-scale-but-c_1204002.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/naomi-ackie-6367_confidence_confidence-is-like-a-sliding-scale-but-c_1204002.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/naomi-ackie-6367_confidence_confidence-is-like-a-sliding-scale-but-c_1204002.jpg) > “Confidence is like a sliding scale, but courage is something I can work on - the courage to show up and the courage to do things, even if it scares you.” [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Confidence varies, but courage can be built through deliberate practice of showing up and acting despite fear. **In simple terms:** Courage can be practiced. Key Takeaway Practice showing up despite fear. Themes courage self‑improvement risk‑taking Mood determined encouraging Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - public speaking - starting new projects - personal challenges - overcoming anxiety Key Concepts growth mindset resilience behavioral activation Questions to Reflect On - What small act can you do today to build courage? - How does fear inform your growth? A Different Perspective Courage alone may not guarantee success without skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-courage-235905/) [Courage Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-things-1087215/) [Scale Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scale-courage-3621818/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-courage-312454/) ## Related quotes > [Countrymen, the task ahead is great indeed, and heavy is the responsibility; and yet it is a noble and glorious challenge - a challenge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/countrymen-the-task-ahead-is-great-indeed-and-heavy-is-the/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [With uncertainty in one scale, courage and self-confidence should be thrown into the other to correct the balance. The greater they are, the greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/with-uncertainty-in-one-scale-courage-and-self-confidence-should-be/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [I always loved music, so I wanted to do something in it, but I had to work up the courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-rowsell/i-always-loved-music-so-i-wanted-to-do-something-in-it-but-i-had-to/) [Ellie Rowsell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-rowsell/) > [Necessity does the work of courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/necessity-does-the-work-of-courage/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hard work, courage and commitment - these are the key elements for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalia-grybauskaite/hard-work-courage-and-commitment-these-are-the-key-elements-for/) [Dalia Grybauskaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalia-grybauskaite/) > [Hard work, courage, and determination are the tools to achieve success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/hard-work-courage-and-determination-are-the-tools-to-achieve-success/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“take what you can from your dreams Make them real as anything It takes the work out of the courage”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews-band/take-what-you-can-from-your-dreams-make-them-real-as-anything-it/) [Dave Matthews Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews-band/) > [“Sometimes you could get rid of the ghosts that were haunting your life if you could only work up enough courage to face them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/sometimes-you-could-get-rid-of-the-ghosts-that-were-haunting-your/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I had to work up the courage to even imagine myself running for Congress. But I eventually decided that our country had a moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moser/i-had-to-work-up-the-courage-to-even-imagine-myself-running-for/) [Laura Moser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moser/) > [It's best to be honest and truthful, to make the most of what you have, to be happy with simple pleasures, and to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-bianco/it-s-best-to-be-honest-and-truthful-to-make-the-most-of-what-you-have/) [Tanya Bianco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-bianco/) > [“Through each crisis in my life, with acceptance and hope, in a single defining moment, I finally gained the courage to do things differently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-e-rainey/through-each-crisis-in-my-life-with-acceptance-and-hope-in-a-single/) [Sharon E. Rainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-e-rainey/) > [This is the art of courage: to see things as they are and still believe that the victory lies not with those who avoid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-is-the-art-of-courage-to-see-things-as-they-are-and-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was younger, I was kind of fearless. I think it takes more courage to do things when you know more. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-king/when-i-was-younger-i-was-kind-of-fearless-i-think-it-takes-more/) [Carole King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-king/) > [“Last, but by no means least, courage of one's convictions, the courage to see things through. The world is in a constant conspiracy against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/last-but-by-no-means-least-courage-of-one-s-convictions-the-courage/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [You need courage to be creative. You need the courage to see things differently, courage to go against the crowd, courage to take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/you-need-courage-to-be-creative-you-need-the-courage-to-see-things/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) ## More by Naomi Ackie > [There's this idea that inclusivity and seeking diversity is this agenda. And the truth is, it is. It's an agenda, but it's about addition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/there-s-this-idea-that-inclusivity-and-seeking-diversity-is-this/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [I wanted to be Baby Spice growing up. It was a real battle in the playground. We'd play Spice Girls and I always wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/i-wanted-to-be-baby-spice-growing-up-it-was-a-real-battle-in-the/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [There are people who will look for the holes in whatever you create and whatever you say to justify the hate of you, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/there-are-people-who-will-look-for-the-holes-in-whatever-you-create/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [It helps to know that my mum believed I could make it. She taught me that if you want to make work of quality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/it-helps-to-know-that-my-mum-believed-i-could-make-it-she-taught-me/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [Sometimes we like to think if we had power, that we would be different, and we would be omnipotent, but the truth is absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/sometimes-we-like-to-think-if-we-had-power-that-we-would-be-different/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [I want to be an X-Men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/i-want-to-be-an-x-men/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [I come from a physical background and I've always loved to do martial arts, but I've been in and out and never stuck to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/i-come-from-a-physical-background-and-i-ve-always-loved-to-do-martial/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [I love Big Themes. Films that ask big questions about technology, society, mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/i-love-big-themes-films-that-ask-big-questions-about-technology/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [You can go back through time, all over the globe, and point to people who want to dictate how we value the lives around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/you-can-go-back-through-time-all-over-the-globe-and-point-to-people/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [Some people don't get it, but I think there's something fascinating about a character who's obsessed with power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/some-people-don-t-get-it-but-i-think-there-s-something-fascinating/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [To make this sound very, very unromantic, acting is my job, and I really love the craft of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/to-make-this-sound-very-very-unromantic-acting-is-my-job-and-i-really/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [I grew up with Burberry; as a kid in London in the nineties and early noughties it was everywhere and we all coveted it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/i-grew-up-with-burberry-as-a-kid-in-london-in-the-nineties-and-early/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [I had quite intense stage fright singing in front of people. It always made me nervous to do it when I'm not on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/i-had-quite-intense-stage-fright-singing-in-front-of-people-it-always/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [My mum was such a strategic woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/my-mum-was-such-a-strategic-woman/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [The more authentic I am to myself, the less pressure I've felt to fit into some mold that doesn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/the-more-authentic-i-am-to-myself-the-less-pressure-i-ve-felt-to-fit/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) [Explore all 99 Naomi Ackie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) ## 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": "Confidence is like a sliding scale, but courage is something I can work on - the courage to show up and the courage to do things, even if it scares you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Naomi Ackie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/confidence-is-like-a-sliding-scale-but-courage-is-something-i-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/confidence-is-like-a-sliding-scale-but-courage-is-something-i-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/naomi-ackie-6367_confidence_confidence-is-like-a-sliding-scale-but-c_1204002.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/naomi-ackie-6367_confidence_confidence-is-like-a-sliding-scale-but-c_1204002.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/naomi-ackie-6367_confidence_confidence-is-like-a-sliding-scale-but-c_1204002.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Confidence is like a sliding scale, but courage is something I can work on - the courage to show up and the…” — Naomi Ackie", "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": "Naomi Ackie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Confidence is like a sliding scale,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/confidence-is-like-a-sliding-scale-but-courage-is-something-i-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/confidence-is-like-a-sliding-scale-but-courage-is-something-i-can/#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 } } ] } ```