Confidence CrisisConfidence CrisisConfidence CrisisConfidence CrisisMaria Klawe Maria Klawe

(Professor, Harvey Mudd College)(Professor, Harvey Mudd College)

Esin Saka Esin Saka (PhD. student, University of Louisville)(PhD. student, University of Louisville)

Maria Klawe

Esin Saka• PhD Student under advising of Dr. Olfa Nasraoui

– Knowledge Discovery & Web Mining Lab in the Department of Computer Engineering and Computer Science at University of Louisville.

• BS and MS degrees in computer engineering and mathematics (double major)– From the Middle East Technical University (METU), in

Turkey• Worked for:

– Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK)

– METU– Yahoo!

• Also enjoys snowboarding, ballroom and social dancing, SCUBA diving, surfing, and traveling

Confidence

• Confidence : belief in oneself and one’s power or abilities

• Losing confidence: No longer trusting in the ability to perform

Who can have a confidence crisis?

• Manager of a big company• Graduate Student• Advisor• Man/Women with high self-esteem• You• Anybody!

HowWhenWhereWhy

Confidence Crisis?

Qualification Exams:Am I nothing?

"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham www.phdcomics.com

Feel like your research is pointless or insignificant?

"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham www.phdcomics.com

A Paper Marked All RED

"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham www.phdcomics.com

A Bad

Haircut

Causes of Confidence Crisis

• Having difficulty in courses• Failing exams• Missing a deadline• Faux Pas• A crush on someone or a break up• Harsh/hard to satisfy advisor’s high expectations• Insignificant research• A bad haircut• …

What to do?

• Chocolate

• Snacks• Martini

NOT

• Watch out for people around who may want to lower your confidence to forget their confidence problem

"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham www.phdcomics.com

Admit the problem

Define reachable goals

"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham www.phdcomics.com

Be Patient

"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham www.phdcomics.com

Celebrate every accomplishment no matter how

small ;)

• Grab a chocolate• Go out and have fun• Have a nice walk• Try a relaxing bath with

body scrub• Have a nice lunch/dinner• …

You’re the Dancing Queen

"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham www.phdcomics.com

Peers can Help to LIFT Our Morale

Series of Actions -1• Keep a journal• Show gratitude• Evaluate your relationships• Start new relationships• Get into a good group• Change your behavior• Speak up• Take a risk a day

Series of Actions - 2• Recall past highs• Believe your creativity is ready and waiting• Start with small projects• A little each day• Acknowledge your progress

• Work + “Good time management” …

• Work harder…• And harder…• It does pay off in the end!• Hard work better results (publish paper)

better confidence (eventually)

Positive Feedback Cycle

Basically:• Think positive

– Did the world crash and are you left under the ruins? NO

• Take responsibility for your actions• Identify the problem(s)• Start doing stuff that you are good at• Celebrate success

– Define success in your own words• excerpt on next slide

• Be with positive and supporting people

"My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success.

She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have worked hard and done the best that is in you.

Success is being praised by others ... Always aim for achievement and forget about success."

- Helen Hayes, Actress From http://women.cs.cmu.edu/What/Outreach/

References• http://homeparents.about.com/od/

homebusprofiles/a/bus_confidence.htm

• http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/how-to-recover-from-a-crash-in-creative-confidence

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence

Picture References• http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/jlv/

lowres/jlvn663l.jpg• http://www.futureleaderofamerica.com/images/confidence.gif• http://www.simplenomics.com/wp-images/confidence.jpg• http://bp0.blogger.com/_kT9yRiEqelE/RxTIPQTlmGI/AAAAAAAA

Cj4/8fW923gLP24/s1600-h/celebrate+high+self+esteem.jpg• http://www.mrdowling.com/images/702cleopatra.jpg• http://www.plumbingworld.com/images/alliedbrass-mirror-dm-

4.jpg• http://onhutchinsonisland.com/files/2007/10/bad_haircut.jpg• http://www.hunterlab.com/images/industry/asst_snacks.jpg• http://groovymartini.com/images/rasberry%20martini.jpg• http://www.mitoledo.com/Donaire/Fotos/Chocolate.png