To a certain extent it's beneficial to have a lot of confidence in one's own abilities because fear and doubt are not the factors holding you back in what you want to do. However, too much self-assurance can also lead to ignoring the best resource available for learning, which is other people. Many "enlightened" managers cite hiring people smarter than themselves as a key strategy. I would have a serious problem doing that because 99% of the time I feel like I have completely figured out a person and their critical flaws within 10 minutes of conversation. If someone has more book smarts than me, I just compensate by telling myself that I'm more well-rounded and sociable. If they're more sociable, I take solace in my technical/thinking/numchuk skillz. If they're both more book smart and sociable than me, I give them a wedgie and call it a day.
I think what's needed is to be humbled by the trials of life. Not that life is easy for me by any stretch, I just think that more adversity is needed in order to truly appreciate where I really stand. This level of introspection is difficult and dangerous, which is why I think people prefer to go on thinking they are the smartest person in the room, in every room.
To close this somewhat pointless post, I'll quote Nelson Muntz: "Some of us prefer illusion to despair". That's the kicker! Maybe I am an idiot, but damned if I'll waste my time thinking about what an idiot I am instead of putting what energy I have into solving the various problems of being alive, like how to be smart.
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