Individual Development,  Psychology

What Does Low Confidence Look Like?

What does low confidence look like? Confidence can help you achieve your goals and be the person you want to be. Find out more about how low confidence can affect your life.

What is Low confidence

Low confidence can manifest in a variety of ways. It may be expressed through body language, such as avoiding eye contact, or slumped posture; by speaking quietly with few words; or through lack of self-assertion and/or shyness.

What does low confidence look like?
What does low confidence look like?

People with low confidence often doubt themselves and their decisions, second-guess themselves regularly, compare themselves to other people, or feel like they don’t deserve.

They may also find it difficult to cope with criticism and challenging situations, and be overly sensitive to outside forces.

Low confidence can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression and/or lack of motivation. It is important for those suffering from low self-confidence to seek support from family and friends, or from a professional therapist.

Unfortunately, most people with low confidence don’t know about it, or don’t recognize that it is a problem. This has caused many people to continue in a cycle of low confidence, struggling to reach their goals and find fulfillment.

To save you from being one of them, we have highlighted several signs of low confidence. These signs can help you identify whether you have low self-confidence and take steps to improve it.

1. Poor Confidence.

Individuals with low confidence often feel overwhelmed and unsure of their ability to cope when faced with challenging situations.

They may avoid certain activities or tasks because they are uncertain that they can manage them, or feel anxious and overwhelmed even if they try.

This can result to a feeling of being stuck in life, unable to make progress towards their goals due to their lack of confidence.

2. Lack of Control

People with low confidence often feel like they have no control over their lives.

They may be unable to assert themselves in conversations, feel unable to make decisions, or allow others to dictate their actions instead of taking charge themselves.

The lack of control can lead to feelings of frustration and helplessness.

3. Negative Social Comparison.

Individuals with low confidence often compare themselves to others, and find it difficult to accept their own strengths.

They may devalue their own capabilities in comparison to other people, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy and insecurity especially if they compare themselves with people who seem to be more successful or attractive.

4. Problems Asking for What You Need

Those with low confidence may struggle to ask for what they need in various situations, whether that be asking for help from friends or family members, or requesting special arrangements from a doctor or employer.

The reason for this is often because they don’t believe that others are capable of meeting their needs, or because they feel ashamed for asking.

It can be a huge problem because it can prevent them from getting help or resources they need to reach their goals.

5. Worry and Self-Doubt

People with low confidence often worry excessively, second-guessing themselves regularly and having difficulty making decisions.

They may feel like they are constantly worrying about things that could go wrong, and find it difficult to trust their own judgment. This can lead to feelings of indecisiveness and inaction.

6. Trouble Accepting Positive Feedback

People with low confidence can often find it difficult to accept positive feedback or compliments, as they don’t believe it is true.

They may dismiss praise and recognition, feeling that they don’t deserve it or worrying that it will make them appear arrogant.

This can lead to a negative self-image which can further erode self-confidence levels over time.

7. Negative Self-Talk

Those with low confidence often have a running dialogue of negative self-talk in their head about themselves and the world around them.

This can lead to feelings of insecurity and shame, as well as a distorted view of reality which can further erode self-confidence levels over time.

An example of negative talk could be ‘I’m not good enough’ or ‘I can’t do this.” These phrases may seem insignificant, but they can add up over time and damage your self-confidence if they aren’t challenged.

8. Fear of Failure

Another symptom of low confidence is the fear of failure.

People with low confidence are often terrified of failing, to the point that they may avoid taking risks altogether or become paralyzed with fear before even attempting something.

This can prevent them from making progress towards their goals or trying new things.

9. Poor Outlook

The next symptom of low confidence is a generally pessimistic outlook.

People with low confidence often have difficulty seeing the positive in any situation, and may expect things to go wrong even when there is no real basis for it.

This can lead to feelings of helplessness and frustration which can further erode their quality of life.

10. Lack of Boundaries

Another symptom of low confidence is a lack of boundaries.

People with low self-esteem may have difficulty saying no to others or setting limits on their time and energy, leading to feelings of guilt and resentment.

This can prevent them from protecting their mental and physical well-being.

11. Trying to Please Others

Last but not least, people with low confidence often have difficulty saying no to others and will try to please them instead.

They may agree to tasks they don’t really want to do or take on responsibilities that aren’t theirs in order to try and win approval from others.

Overcoming low confidence

These are just some of the symptoms of low self-confidence. If you recognize any of these in yourself, it may be time to start working on your confidence and self-esteem.

There are a variety of tools and resources available to help you build your confidence and move forward with your life.

Start by taking small steps and practicing self-care and positive self-talk. With time and effort, you can start to build your confidence levels and live the life you want.

You will be able to face the challenges that come your way with more confidence, and be able to make progress towards the goals you set for yourself.

You can start to believe in yourself and take control of your life. With a little work, you can create an atmosphere of self-confidence and success that will last a lifetime.


We hope this article was able to answer your questions about: What does low confidence look like?

If you want to discover more information about improving self-esteem, follow the link to our other pages on this topic.