It just means that he was ale to recognize his capabilities and put this discovery on his own advantage. Generally, self confidence and the manner by which we increase them are achieved only when we dare to do things that we first thought are way out of our own capacities. We sometimes fail to recognize that simple things can help in delivering to us the glories of confidence. Outside stimulation may help but it would all still boil down to knowing yourself and using that knowledge to gain confidence. To get self confidence, you must realize that your limitations must not limit you and your attributes must not destroy you. Instead, use all these factors to develop a personality that would be productive for you and all those that surround you. That is, when he is focused on his entire being and in return, considers this whole picture as an effective juncture to find where and what is missing and lacking. That way, he would find means of compensating for such. However, introspection may also turn against a person when it has become too focused on the negative aspects of one's personality. And as the process goes on, you would learn to ignore the blind negative accusations that other people throw at you. And to add up more miseries on your already-piled up problems, you would learn to accept that there is nothing more to life but defeats and failures. You faith in yourself by now is much too weakened. Yet once you believe in its miserable denials of who you are, you are sure to have it win you over. You will then be convinced of the validity of its claims and so, you will resort to succumb to mediocre and somber life. This inner critic lives in all of us as much as the inner voice of goodness does. Now, if you don't want to fall into history who is someone who failed to start dreaming then you must act now and be convinced that dreams don't starts with "d" and end with "s". Instead, it ends with reaping the fruits of your achievements and starts with believing in yourself. Sometimes, lack of self confidence is only a product of our imagination.