The Power Of True Confidence | Wenshu Ding | Tedxsemiahmoo Secondary School

What if confidence isn’t something you have before you act, but something you build because you act?

In this talk, WenShu Ding challenges the common belief that confidence is an innate trait that only some people are born with. Through personal experiences—from feeling out of place in a new school to hesitating to take opportunities out of fear of judgment—she explores how the pressure to be perfect often holds us back from growth.

WenShu introduces a different way of thinking: confidence is not built through perfection, but through progress. By taking small risks, embracing discomfort, and allowing room for mistakes, we gradually rewire how we see ourselves. Drawing on ideas like neuroplasticity and the “confidence-competence loop,” she explains how repeated action strengthens both skill and self-trust over time.

Rather than waiting to feel ready, this talk encourages us to start before we feel confident. Because confidence doesn’t come first—it comes after.

This talk is especially relevant for students and young people navigating comparison, self-doubt, and the pressure to succeed in today’s world. Wenshu Ding is a grade 10 student at Earl Marriott Secondary School who is passionate about debate, technology, public speaking, and music. Wenshu plays the flute, piccolo, and alto saxophone and she is an executive member of her school’s Music and Student Councils. Wenshu loves debate and public speaking and is passionate about inspiring confidence in young people to speak out their ideas. This led her to found the Debate and Model UN Club at her school. Wenshu also loves to be involved in her community. She is a member of the Teen Library Council at Surrey Libraries as well as the White Rock Youth Ambassadors Program. Wenshu hopes to pursue a career in technology and business in the future so that she can combine her passion for tech with her love for public speaking. She is thrilled about the opportunity to speak at TEDx Semiahmoo and hopes that her talk inspires others to find confidence within themselves to do great things. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx