Illusory superiority is a cognitive bias that causes people to overestimate their positive qualities and abilities and to underestimate their negative qualities, relative to others. This is evident in a variety of areas including intelligence, performance on tasks or tests and the possession of desirable characteristics or personality traits. It is one of many positive illusions relating to the self, and is a phenomenon studied in social psychology. – wikipedia
When I stumbled upon this one on my daily surf I thought to myself, “how timely”. Especially since I had just finished reading this thread on the DWF Pro Art Forum.
Are you as good as you think you are?
An interesting question and probably one that we should all ask ourselves from time to time. Let’s call it a reality check!
The “Above Average Effect” aka Illusory Superiority could be the key to your future success. The perceived notion that you’re the best at something might be keeping you from growing, expanding and improving.
Interested? Let’s all pretend that we don’t know jack about the human mind and how it works and read more at Derek Sivers blog “I assume I’m below average” and at my lifehacker source “Get smarter by realizing that you’re not that great“.
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5 Comments at "Illusory Superiority"
Mark, you’ve convinced me. You really are below average!
Don’t make me whip out my “Mental Junk” right here in this comment section Ray.
OMG I miss Nashville.
I dunno, this kinda goes against positive thinking. There are plenty of people who are doing great, who think they are great, who are not so great. Does it matter that their belief of superior is false if it is working for them? Would they still be doing great if they realized that they are not so great, and started thinking that they were below average? Probably not.
I always feel that I am very good BUT I know that no matter how “good” I may be today, I’d better be better tomorrow. So I’m always up for a new idea from anyone who sees things differently or has different experiences.
The only thing that goes against true “positive thinking” is the premise that discussing that revealing truth is somehow a bad thing for us. Sorry, Steve, but the more we understand the better we will do in our endeavors. Truth is not bad because it doesn’t support unearned self-confidence.
I’ve read about this, in “Blink” I believe, and it all makes logical and experiential sense. In so many ways, it opens up doors. It reminds us of how much more we can accomplish, and it reminds us that we may the one in the wrong.
The only people who have anything to really fear from this concept are those who don’t think they are capable of growth.
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