--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some people are confident because they…" description: "\"“Some people are confident because they are fools. Leonard had the look of someone who was confident because, so far, he'd never found reason not to be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/terry-pratchett-19_confidence_some-people-are-confident-because-they-a_94640.jpg" --- # Some people are confident because they are fools. Leonard… ![“Some people are confident because they are fools. Leonard had the look of someone who was confident because, so far, he'd never found reason not to be. He would step off a high building in the happy state of mind of someone who intended to deal with the problem of the ground when it presented…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/terry-pratchett-19_confidence_some-people-are-confident-because-they-a_94640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/terry-pratchett-19_confidence_some-people-are-confident-because-they-a_94640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/terry-pratchett-19_confidence_some-people-are-confident-because-they-a_94640.jpg) > ““Some people are confident because they are fools. Leonard had the look of someone who was confident because, so far, he'd never found reason not to be. He would step off a high building in the happy state of mind of someone who intended to deal with the problem of the ground when it presented itself.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage satirizes overconfidence, portraying a character who leaps into danger with reckless optimism, trusting that problems will resolve themselves when they appear. **In simple terms:** Blind confidence leads to reckless risk. Key Takeaway Overconfidence can mask underlying danger. Themes hubris risk taking self‑delusion satire Mood wry cautious Type literary excerpt philosophical observation When to use this quote - character analysis - risk‑assessment training - literary discussion Key Concepts psychology of confidence narrative irony Practical Applications - writing workshops - critical thinking exercises Questions to Reflect On - When does confidence become folly? - How does satire reveal human blind spots? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [State of mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-of-mind/) ## Related quotes > [Some people are confident because they are fools. Leonard had the look of someone who was confident because, so far, he'd never found a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/some-people-are-confident-because-they-are-fools-leonard-had-the-look-2/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“I was never good at telling intelligent people from mere self-confident fools, the know-it-alls, because I didn’t and couldn’t know, growing up, that, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-iossel/i-was-never-good-at-telling-intelligent-people-from-mere-self/) [Mikhail Iossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-iossel/) > [Dear Leonard. To look life in the face. Always to look life in the face and to know it for what it is. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/dear-leonard-to-look-life-in-the-face-always-to-look-life-in-the-face/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [People sometimes are so confident in their flawed beliefs that they get stuck - fixated - and as a result are blinded to insights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-a-klein/people-sometimes-are-so-confident-in-their-flawed-beliefs-that-they/) [Gary A. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-a-klein/) > [We are lucky to live in a world made up of so many different kinds of people and I am confident in the direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/we-are-lucky-to-live-in-a-world-made-up-of-so-many-different-kinds-of/) [Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/) > [We are not a fearful, small people. We are confident and strong, and we understand that much of our strength comes from the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beto-o-rourke/we-are-not-a-fearful-small-people-we-are-confident-and-strong-and-we/) [Beto O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beto-o-rourke/) > [People who are very confident in themselves aren't hurt by criticism. They make use of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/people-who-are-very-confident-in-themselves-aren-t-hurt-by-criticism/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I've always felt that if you're not on your side, why should anyone else be. 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I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. 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And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## 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. 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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": "“Some people are confident because they are fools. Leonard had the look of someone who was confident because, so far, he'd never found reason not to be. 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