Overconfidence

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Have you ever been so confident you could accomplish something, but ended up failing because of it? We have all been through this at some point in our lives. In fact, I was once overconfident about a test, so I barely studied. I flew through the test, not paying attention and believing I would ace it; however, the outcome wasn't what I had expected. Upon receiving my test back, I realized I had made many mistakes which I could have caught had I not rushed through it. I felt so certain I would do well on the test, but it was that self-assurance which brought me down. Macbeth, the main character in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, also faces this issue with overconfidence throughout the play. Having been told his fortunes and tempted by three witches, Macbeth is overwhelmed with confidence, which takes control of him and leads to his death.
Upon being told his fortune and finding out he will become king, Macbeth’s overconfidence and ambition drive him to do unspeakable things, causing his downfall. He convinces himself that he can get away with anything, even killing Duncan, the king, to expedite his rise to power. After aiding his country in winning the battle between Scotland and Norway, the humble and loyal Macbeth is regarded as the most heroic knight in all of Scotland. On their way home, Macbeth and his ally, Banquo, come across the lair of three witches. There, they are told that he will take the throne as the King of Scotland and receive the title: Thane of Cawdor. Tempted by these fortunes, Macbeth devises a plan to murder Duncan take the throne. In his mind, his loyalty and overconfidence clash, like angels fighting devils, as he deliberates the idea. Aided by Lady Macbeth, his manipulative wife, his confidence takes the better of ...

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...r than it is, it clouds your thinking, causing you to focus only on your goal. Macbeth, focusing on his fortune of being the King of Scotland, loses sight of everything else and believes nothing can stop him. He is still determined to make the fortune come true, despite the countless consequences along the way, and it is this mind set that ends up bringing him down. If Macbeth had instead channeled his confidence in the right path towards staying alive and keeping Scotland together, he might have not only survived, but succeeded greatly. Confidence is an important trait to have, but letting it get too much of you will result in your downfall, be it a math test or something much more important. Confidence allows people to do amazing things and channeling this confidence instead of letting it control you, is the key to succeeding at things you never thought you could.

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