---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Confidence by itself, unless it has a…"
description: "\"Confidence by itself, unless it has a valid basis, can get us into trouble.\" — Peter Schiff"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/peter-schiff-8095_bases_confidence-by-itself-unless-it-has-a-val_2997047.png"
---

#  Confidence by itself, unless it has a valid basis, can get…

![“Confidence by itself, unless it has a valid basis, can get us into trouble.” quote by Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/peter-schiff-8095_bases_confidence-by-itself-unless-it-has-a-val_2997047.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/peter-schiff-8095_bases_confidence-by-itself-unless-it-has-a-val_2997047.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/peter-schiff-8095_bases_confidence-by-itself-unless-it-has-a-val_2997047.png)

> “Confidence by itself, unless it has a valid basis, can get us into trouble.”

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Confidence without a solid foundation can lead to poor decisions and trouble.

**In simple terms:** Blind confidence is risky.

Key Takeaway

Build confidence on facts.

Themes

confidence risk decision making

Mood

cautious serious

Type

advisory financial

When to use this quote

- investment strategy
- business planning
- personal finance
- leadership training

Key Concepts

critical analysis financial literacy risk assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- How to test the basis of confidence?
- What checks prevent reckless actions?

A Different Perspective

Overconfidence can be hard to recognize.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/)

## Related quotes

> [I have always felt like you really don't have a genuine confidence unless you demonstrate the ability to do something. You can talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-parcells/i-have-always-felt-like-you-really-don-t-have-a-genuine-confidence/)

[Bill Parcells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-parcells/)

> [My favorite thing about being a mom is just what a better person it makes you on a daily basis,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/my-favorite-thing-about-being-a-mom-is-just-what-a-better-person-it/)

[Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/)

> [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/)

[Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/)

> [Coercion is the basis of every law in the universe,--human or divine. A law is not law without coercion behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/coercion-is-the-basis-of-every-law-in-the-universe-human-or-divine-a/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/)

[Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/)

> [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/)

[Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/)

> [This tendency to avoid problems and the emotional suffering inherent in them is the primary basis of all human mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/this-tendency-to-avoid-problems-and-the-emotional-suffering-inherent/)

[Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/)

> [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/)

[Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/)

> [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/)

[Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/)

> [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/)

[Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/)

## More by Peter Schiff

> [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [Perhaps the most important reason to be skeptical of government inflation numbers is that the government, like a fox campaigning to guard a hen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/perhaps-the-most-important-reason-to-be-skeptical-of-government/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. If the dollar loses value, it's doing so relative to some other currency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-the-dollar-collapses-it-s-not-doing-it-in-a-vacuum-if-the-dollar/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [Every time the market has corrected, since 2008, it's always been the Fed that's made the bottom. The Fed has always saved the market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/every-time-the-market-has-corrected-since-2008-it-s-always-been-the/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [“Boom/bust cycles are not inevitable and would not occur were it not for the inflationary monetary policies that always precede recessions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/boom-bust-cycles-are-not-inevitable-and-would-not-occur-were-it-not/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [We had a very upwardly mobile economy, and that peaked around the 1950s when the typical middle-class American family consisted of a father with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/we-had-a-very-upwardly-mobile-economy-and-that-peaked-around-the/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [Printing money creates inflation, which weakens an economy. Unfortunately, this kind of common-sense thinking never seems to penetrate academic circles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/printing-money-creates-inflation-which-weakens-an-economy/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [The fiat-based system has produced enormous global imbalances that are straining the global economy. Ultimately, I think the whole thing gives way and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/the-fiat-based-system-has-produced-enormous-global-imbalances-that/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [Central banks are choosing to increase their gold holdings as a percentage of total reserves. They obviously think there is a reason to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/central-banks-are-choosing-to-increase-their-gold-holdings-as-a/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [Once the government runs out of foreign and private sector bidders for new Treasurys, the Federal Reserve will be the only buyer, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/once-the-government-runs-out-of-foreign-and-private-sector-bidders/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [The real bubble in China is in US Treasuries, in US dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/the-real-bubble-in-china-is-in-us-treasuries-in-us-dollars/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [My mother always taught me that two wrongs don't make a right. We shouldn't bail out Wall Street. We shouldn't bail out Detroit. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/my-mother-always-taught-me-that-two-wrongs-don-t-make-a-right-we/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [The one place that bitcoins seem to be used as money is in crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/the-one-place-that-bitcoins-seem-to-be-used-as-money-is-in-crime/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [Gold has worked for thousands of years, but now with the Internet, it works even better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/gold-has-worked-for-thousands-of-years-but-now-with-the-internet-it/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [Most governments, not all of them, but most, certainly don't want their citizens using gold. They want them in the currency that they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-governments-not-all-of-them-but-most-certainly-don-t-want-their/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

[Explore all 84 Peter Schiff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

## More Bases quotes

> [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/)

[Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/)

[Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/)

> [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/)

[Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/)

> [This tendency to avoid problems and the emotional suffering inherent in them is the primary basis of all human mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/this-tendency-to-avoid-problems-and-the-emotional-suffering-inherent/)

[Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/)

> [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/)

[Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/)

> [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/)

[Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/)

> [Coercion is the basis of every law in the universe,--human or divine. A law is not law without coercion behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/coercion-is-the-basis-of-every-law-in-the-universe-human-or-divine-a/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/)

[Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/)

> [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [My favorite thing about being a mom is just what a better person it makes you on a daily basis,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/my-favorite-thing-about-being-a-mom-is-just-what-a-better-person-it/)

[Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/)

> [We have committed ourselves to pursue joint policies, but then national governments say, "We aren't bound by that." That is a dramatic situation, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/we-have-committed-ourselves-to-pursue-joint-policies-but-then/)

[Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/)

Browse all 2,701 Bases quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Confidence by itself, unless it has a valid basis, can get us into trouble.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Peter Schiff"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/confidence-by-itself-unless-it-has-a-valid-basis-can-get-us-into/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bases"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/confidence-by-itself-unless-it-has-a-valid-basis-can-get-us-into/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/peter-schiff-8095_bases_confidence-by-itself-unless-it-has-a-val_2997047.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/peter-schiff-8095_bases_confidence-by-itself-unless-it-has-a-val_2997047.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/peter-schiff-8095_bases_confidence-by-itself-unless-it-has-a-val_2997047.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Confidence by itself, unless it has a valid basis, can get us into trouble.” — Peter Schiff",
                "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": "Peter Schiff",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Confidence by itself, unless it has...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/confidence-by-itself-unless-it-has-a-valid-basis-can-get-us-into/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/confidence-by-itself-unless-it-has-a-valid-basis-can-get-us-into/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
