passive vs. assertive

Considering the dichotomy of passive vs assertive, we can further bisect each half into weak vs humble and confident vs prideful respectively.

Hopefully, we are aware that there is a difference between being weak and being humble. And more often, we consider the difference between someone who is confident or prideful.

In both sub-dichotomies, there is an intuitive understanding that in being passive, it is preferable to be humble than weak and that in being assertive, it is preferable to be confident than pridfeul.

Taking a step back, if we were to isolate humility and confidence, we’d consider them to be antonyms. But in practice, these two words may be one and the same.

What is it that makes a passive person humble rather than weak? It is that they are intentional in their passivity, which requires confidence. And what makes an assertive person confident rather than prideful? It is that they are humble with the fortune and talents they have.

To be humble, one must be confident and to be confident, one must be humble such that to be humble and to be confident are, ultimately, the same.