What do you do to make your writing better?

I personally write a lot of essays. I read carefully and ask, “Why does this work?”

Here’s an example of one of my essays:

We, as a race, are confident—a little too much. Confidence is an important tool in our arsenal. Thus, we should use it with care, as it could have unwanted consequences. Let’s be honest—most of us have committed the sin of pride.

The less we know about something, the more confident we tend to be—and vice versa. This is demonstrated by the Dunning-Kruger effect.

Socrates once said, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”

Why:

Statistically, confident people are more likely to lead. The part of the brain responsible for rewards is activated when people hear a confident person. Hence, confidence helps in acquiring higher positions and opportunities.

How it affects our lives:

It makes us prone to mistakes and can cause serious damage to people or property. We are also more likely to ignore warning signs. A good example of this is Nick Leeson of Barings Bank, who lost over a billion dollars of the bank’s money and caused its collapse. Another example is the Sinking of the Titanic—a tragic loss of lives and wealth, partly due to overconfidence in the so-called “unsinkable” ship.