Watch two people enter a room with the same credentials.
One has spent years doing the work. Late nights solving problems nobody else wanted to tackle. Failed experiments that taught hard lessons. Conversations with customers who didn’t hold back their criticism. This person carries themselves with quiet assurance—they know what they can deliver because they’ve delivered it before.
The other has spent years talking about the work. Polished presentations about potential. Strategic conversations about capabilities. Networking events where they position themselves as experts. This person carries themselves with loud certainty—they know what they should be able to deliver because it sounds impressive.
The first person asks better questions. They’ve learned that every problem has hidden complexity. Their confidence comes from having navigated that complexity successfully, repeatedly.
The second person gives better answers. At least initially. They’ve learned what people want to hear. Their arrogance comes from believing their own presentations.
Here’s what separates them: when things get difficult—and they always do—the first person gets to work. The second person gets defensive.
Confidence whispers because it doesn’t need to shout.
Arrogance shouts because it’s afraid of the silence.
The work always wins in the end. The market has a way of sorting out who has done it from who has talked about it.
Your reputation isn’t built on what you claim you can do. It’s built on what you’ve already done, especially when nobody was watching.
