--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: MBA students are not the only ones…" description: "\"“MBA students are not the only ones overconfident about their abilities. The “above average” effect is pervasive. Ninety percent of all drivers think t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/richard-h-thaler-8113_overconfident_mba-students-are-not-the-only-ones-overc_2313786.jpg" --- # MBA students are not the only ones overconfident about… ![“MBA students are not the only ones overconfident about their abilities. The “above average” effect is pervasive. Ninety percent of all drivers think they are above average behind the wheel,” quote by Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/richard-h-thaler-8113_overconfident_mba-students-are-not-the-only-ones-overc_2313786.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/richard-h-thaler-8113_overconfident_mba-students-are-not-the-only-ones-overc_2313786.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/richard-h-thaler-8113_overconfident_mba-students-are-not-the-only-ones-overc_2313786.jpg) > ““MBA students are not the only ones overconfident about their abilities. The “above average” effect is pervasive. Ninety percent of all drivers think they are above average behind the wheel,”” [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often overestimate their abilities, leading to widespread overconfidence, especially among drivers. **In simple terms:** People think they are better than they are. Key Takeaway Recognize and correct overconfidence. Themes bias confidence behavior Mood cautionary insightful Type behavioral motivational When to use this quote - driving safety - team management - investment decisions - self-assessment Key Concepts Behavioral economics psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does overconfidence affect your choices? - What steps can you take to gauge true ability? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can cause risky decisions and blind spots. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Overconfident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overconfident/) ## Related quotes > [There is a long history of research showing that people are overconfident about their abilities. But it turns out that people in general are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-s-dweck/there-is-a-long-history-of-research-showing-that-people-are/) [Carol S. Dweck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-s-dweck/) > [Most people are overconfident about their own abilities. That is probably a good thing. But we would be horrified if a physician's aide engaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lo/most-people-are-overconfident-about-their-own-abilities-that-is/) [Andrew Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lo/) > [MBA students come out with: 'My staff is my most important asset.' Bullshit. Staff is usually your biggest cost. We all employ some lazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/mba-students-come-out-with-my-staff-is-my-most-important-asset/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [I don't care what the other drivers think of me. They can say what they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-magnussen/i-don-t-care-what-the-other-drivers-think-of-me-they-can-say-what/) [Kevin Magnussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-magnussen/) > [I probably work harder, putting in a lot of time and effort, than a lot of drivers because all I think about, and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lando-norris/i-probably-work-harder-putting-in-a-lot-of-time-and-effort-than-a-lot/) [Lando Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lando-norris/) > [We are busy surviving, herding, fixating on what just happened, and being overconfident!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-greenblatt/we-are-busy-surviving-herding-fixating-on-what-just-happened-and/) [Joel Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-greenblatt/) > [People are drastically overconfident about their judgments of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-are-drastically-overconfident-about-their-judgments-of-others/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never entered a fight overconfident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabricio-werdum/i-never-entered-a-fight-overconfident/) [Fabricio Werdum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabricio-werdum/) > [“The bat-and-ball problem is our first encounter with an observation that will be a recurrent theme of this book: many people are overconfident, prone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/the-bat-and-ball-problem-is-our-first-encounter-with-an-observation/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [I don't think we want to be overconfident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bigelow/i-don-t-think-we-want-to-be-overconfident/) [Robert Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bigelow/) > [“Just as the Hare was overconfident in its speed, so the developers are overconfident in their ability to remain productive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-martin/just-as-the-hare-was-overconfident-in-its-speed-so-the-developers-are/) [Robert C. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-c-martin/) > [I come from an overly confident place. But I'm overconfident because of feelings of inferiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-come-from-an-overly-confident-place-but-i-m-overconfident-because/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [The key is not being overconfident. You should not think that because I'm a top-ranked player, I will win this game. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-v-sindhu/the-key-is-not-being-overconfident-you-should-not-think-that-because/) [P. V. Sindhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-v-sindhu/) > [We live in a country where there is a lot of animosity. If your politics is radical it antagonises. People might think I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-jones/we-live-in-a-country-where-there-is-a-lot-of-animosity-if-your/) [Owen Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-jones/) > [I have a great record against anybody right now, so it doesn't really matter who I play in the final. I'll be in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/i-have-a-great-record-against-anybody-right-now-so-it-doesn-t-really/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) ## More by Richard H. Thaler > [“10. Calories count in New York City. The Big Apple recently adopted a law that requires fast-food restaurants with at least fifteen outlets in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/10-calories-count-in-new-york-city-the-big-apple-recently-adopted-a/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“I began to have deviant thoughts about economic theory while I was a graduate student”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/i-began-to-have-deviant-thoughts-about-economic-theory-while-i-was-a/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“specific values to objects. When they have to give something up, they are hurt more than they are pleased if they acquire the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/specific-values-to-objects-when-they-have-to-give-something-up-they/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“Hundreds of studies confirm that human forecasts are flawed and biased. Human decision making is not so great either. Again to take just one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/hundreds-of-studies-confirm-that-human-forecasts-are-flawed-and/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“John Rawls (1971) called the publicity principle. In its simplest form, the publicity principle bans government from selecting a policy that it would not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/john-rawls-1971-called-the-publicity-principle-in-its-simplest-form/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“Our principal claim here is that patients and doctors should be free to make their own agreements about that right. If patients want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/our-principal-claim-here-is-that-patients-and-doctors-should-be-free/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“We are also greatly influenced by consumption norms within the relevant group. A light eater eats much more in a group of heavy eaters.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/we-are-also-greatly-influenced-by-consumption-norms-within-the/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“People think about life in terms of changes, not levels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/people-think-about-life-in-terms-of-changes-not-levels/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“predictions can’t vary more than the thing being forecast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/predictions-can-t-vary-more-than-the-thing-being-forecast/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“When in a cold state, we do not appreciate how much our desires and our behavior will be altered when we are “under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/when-in-a-cold-state-we-do-not-appreciate-how-much-our-desires-and/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“Bargains and Rip-Offs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/bargains-and-rip-offs/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“you want to nudge people into socially desirable behavior, do not, by any means, let them know that their current actions are better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/you-want-to-nudge-people-into-socially-desirable-behavior-do-not-by/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“A nudge, as we will use the term, is any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people’s behavior in a predictable way without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/a-nudge-as-we-will-use-the-term-is-any-aspect-of-the-choice/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“What makes the bias particularly pernicious is that we all recognize this bias in others but not in ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/what-makes-the-bias-particularly-pernicious-is-that-we-all-recognize/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“people who are threatened with big losses and have a chance to break even will be unusually willing to take risks,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/people-who-are-threatened-with-big-losses-and-have-a-chance-to-break/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) [Explore all 84 Richard H. Thaler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) ## More Overconfident quotes > [I have a great record against anybody right now, so it doesn't really matter who I play in the final. I'll be in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/i-have-a-great-record-against-anybody-right-now-so-it-doesn-t-really/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [We live in a country where there is a lot of animosity. If your politics is radical it antagonises. People might think I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-jones/we-live-in-a-country-where-there-is-a-lot-of-animosity-if-your/) [Owen Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-jones/) > [The key is not being overconfident. You should not think that because I'm a top-ranked player, I will win this game. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-v-sindhu/the-key-is-not-being-overconfident-you-should-not-think-that-because/) [P. V. Sindhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-v-sindhu/) > [I come from an overly confident place. But I'm overconfident because of feelings of inferiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-come-from-an-overly-confident-place-but-i-m-overconfident-because/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [“Just as the Hare was overconfident in its speed, so the developers are overconfident in their ability to remain productive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-martin/just-as-the-hare-was-overconfident-in-its-speed-so-the-developers-are/) [Robert C. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-c-martin/) > [I don't think we want to be overconfident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bigelow/i-don-t-think-we-want-to-be-overconfident/) [Robert Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bigelow/) > [“The bat-and-ball problem is our first encounter with an observation that will be a recurrent theme of this book: many people are overconfident, prone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/the-bat-and-ball-problem-is-our-first-encounter-with-an-observation/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [I never entered a fight overconfident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabricio-werdum/i-never-entered-a-fight-overconfident/) [Fabricio Werdum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabricio-werdum/) > [People are drastically overconfident about their judgments of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-are-drastically-overconfident-about-their-judgments-of-others/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are busy surviving, herding, fixating on what just happened, and being overconfident!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-greenblatt/we-are-busy-surviving-herding-fixating-on-what-just-happened-and/) [Joel Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-greenblatt/) > [We're generally overconfident in our opinions and our impressions and judgments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/we-re-generally-overconfident-in-our-opinions-and-our-impressions-and/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“Because we humans are so fond of our judgment, and so overconfident in it, many of us, if not most, will be too quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mcafee/because-we-humans-are-so-fond-of-our-judgment-and-so-overconfident-in/) [Andrew McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mcafee/) > [He was overconfident”, she told him. “And I won so the gods must have thought I was right. Otherwise they’d have made me lose.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/he-was-overconfident-she-told-him-and-i-won-so-the-gods-must-have/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Most people are overconfident about their own abilities. That is probably a good thing. But we would be horrified if a physician's aide engaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lo/most-people-are-overconfident-about-their-own-abilities-that-is/) [Andrew Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lo/) > [Does everyone feel this way? When I was young, I was perpetually overconfident or insecure. Either I felt completely useless, unattractive, and worthless, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/does-everyone-feel-this-way-when-i-was-young-i-was-perpetually/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) [Browse all 71 Overconfident quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overconfident/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“MBA students are not the only ones overconfident about their abilities. The “above average” effect is pervasive. Ninety percent of all drivers think they are above average behind the wheel,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard H. 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