Courage vs Confidence: What’s the Difference?

You want to feel confident. 

To speak up. 

Try new things. 

And show the world who you really are. 

But here’s what no one tells you:

You don’t need confidence to start.

You need courage.

You see, courage comes before confidence. Confidence is a result. A quiet strength that grows the more you act with courage, even when you facing fear or self-doubt.

In this guide, we’ll break down the difference between courage and confidence, and cover how you can build both.

Before we dive into this article, I want to let you know that I’ve a free email course to build foundational confidence, so that you can show up every day as your true self. Join here for free!

Why the the difference between courage and confidence matters

Most people wait until they feel “ready” to make a move. But confidence is rarely ever there at the start.

That’s why you may be stuck in cycles like:

• Waiting to feel more sure of yourself
• Wondering what if you fail or look dumb
• Comparing yourself to those who seem “naturally confident”

Here’s the truth: Confidence grows after action. Courage is what lets you take that action when you feel unsure and afraid.

When you understand this, you stop waiting.

You start showing up and take imperfect action.

But that’s where true self-improvement and confidence begins.

The difference between courage and confidence

Let’s go deeper into what truly separates courage from confidence, and why that difference matters for your growth.

1. Courage feels the fear – confidence trusts the outcome

• Courage feels the fear… and acts anyway: Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s what you choose in the presence of it. When you act courageously, your heart might go in overdrive. Your mind might be racing, whispering all the reasons to stay small. But something in you, even if it’s a quiet flicker, says: “I’m going to do it anyway.” That’s courage. It’s shaky, human, and deeply powerful.
• Confidence trusts that you’ll be okay, even if you mess up: Confidence is less about feeling perfect, and more about feeling safe within yourself. It’s the calm that comes with experience. After you’ve done hard things and survived. Confidence tells you that it’s okay if failure occurs or when things aren’t perfect. It tells you that you can handle whatever comes next. It’s not loud. It doesn’t need to prove anything. It’s just an underlying sense of calm and groundedness.

2. Courage acts without proof – confidence grows from experience

• Courage shows up before you have proof: Before the applause, before the wins, and before anyone else believes in you. Courage is what allows you to show up without any guarantees. You heart will pound, hands shaky, body sweating. Courage what gets you in the arena and helps you to start, no matter what.
• Confidence grows from that proof: Once you’ve acted courageously – even in tiny ways – you start building real evidence. You start realizing that you can do hard things. That you didn’t die. And that you can actually be proud of yourself for “doing” and not “waiting”.

3. Courage feels raw – confidence feels grounded

• Courage feels raw and exposed. There’s vulnerability in courage. It’s the moment you hit publish on your first post. The moment you admit how you really feel. The moment you ask for help, not knowing how it’ll land. Courage often feels messy – but also honest, alive, and real.
• Confidence feels grounded and steady: It’s the calm that comes later, when you’ve walked through enough fire to know you won’t burn. That’s when your voice stops shaking as much. When your mind stops racing. And your body stops sweating. With confidence, you stop questioning every step because you have certainty in yourself. But that only exists after you’ve gone through the fear, discomfort, and self-doubt.

4. Courage defies fear – confidence embodies self-trust

• Courage is quiet rebellion against fear: You might not even look brave from the outside. But on the inside, you’re telling yourself that you won’t let fear make your choices today. And that choice, that subtle inner rebellion, is how you build courage.
• Confidence is quiet self-trust: It’s walking into a room and not needing to overcompensate. Not because you think you’re better, but because you know that you belong and are good enough. Confidence doesn’t shout, it simply shows up. It’s rooted and real, like the calmness of the eye in the middle of a storm. It’s a deep sense of inner trust and ability to handle whatever comes your way.

Why courage comes first

If you wait to feel confident, you’ll wait forever.

Confidence is a byproduct.

It’s earned through action – not perfection.

Courage is what lets you:

• Apply even if you don’t meet every requirement
• Start the podcast, post the video, share your voice
• Be honest about what you want, even if you risk being misunderstood
• Keep going, even after a failure or setback

And as you do these things, confidence grows. Not because you became someone new, but because you stopped letting fear run the show.

That’s how you tap into your full potential and unlock who you’re meant to be.

Example: Why courage comes before confidence

Let’s say two people both want to start a YouTube channel.

Mr. Waiting for Confidence:

1. They keep planning, tweaking, researching.
2. They’re waiting to feel ready, for the fear to go away.
3. They never post.

Mr. Act with Courage:

1. They feel scared, messy, unpolished – but post anyway.
2. They cringe. They learn. They improve.
3. Within months, they’ve built confidence – not by thinking about it, but by doing.

This applies to everything – dating, job interviews, starting that thing you’ve been putting off. Confidence isn’t the absence of fear. It’s what grows when you move through it.

How to get started?

Start with something small but meaningful. What’s one thing you’ve been avoiding out of fear – but know in your heart you’re ready for?

• Say yes to it.
• Take the leap.
• Let it be imperfect.

It’s about remembering who you already are – and leaning into that.

Do you want to transform self-doubt and feeling like you’ve to pretend into unwavering confidence so you can be your true self – anywhere, at all times?

Learn more about my 2-week transformational program to build foundational core confidence from the inside out!