Interesting. As you point out, a general attitude of confidence can be self-fulfilling or self-undermining depending on the situation. I try to stay calm, grounded, and trusting. The calmness is partly biologically determined, as I have low blood pressure. I don't believe I know anything about the mechanical components of flying a plane, nor could I skill up very much even if I went to pilot school (my mechanical intuition maxes out at changing a lightbulb, though I can drive a car if I have to), but I have confidence that I'd be one of the calmest people on a doomed vehicle, which perhaps means I do have talent for the emotional component of flying a plane. In that area, confidence is self-fulfilling.