Confidence is usually defined as being assured that something is going to happen in a predictable way. For example, most people are confident – even if they could never really be entirely sure – that the sun will come up tomorrow. As such, confidence tends to be built on the experience of past events. When someone has become convinced of something, their behaviour may change accordingly. For example, a gambler may bet a larger sum if they have greater confidence in the outcome. Lack of it, alternatively, may mean wagering a lower amount or not betting at all. Being confident, therefore, can lead to greater risk-taking activities, but it may also mean being more assured in what you intend doing anyway. At a personal level, confidence means being assured of what you aim to achieve or say.
There are many types of criticism around, such as reviews written by theatre critics or criticisms of forms of literature. Essentially, criticism is nothing more than a way of thinking about something and offering feedback on it. That said, criticism has negative connotations in the eyes of many people which is why the term constructive criticism has been coined. If someone were to say “I don't like your hat,” for example, then this is not very engaging criticism even if it is an opinion that is honestly held. A more constructive approach might be to say, “I prefer it when you don't wear your hat,” or maybe, “I like the way your other hat looks.” As such, constructive criticism still expresses the same feedback as other types of criticism but seeks to do so in a way that does not jar or offend our sense of pride.
Generally regarded as a favourable outcome that has been worked towards, success is a state of accomplishment. Successful endeavours come in many walks of life. For example, success to a sports team might mean winning a match against an opponent. There again, it might be something that is sought in a commercial sense, by succeeding against specific sales targets, for example. Some people regard success as a much more personal matter that revolves around their cultural development or spiritual learning. As such, success means different things in different contexts. Even in the same context, success can be looked at in different ways. For example, a successful person might feel they have failed unless they top a leaderboard, whereas someone who is up and coming might view success as having been achieved with much more modest goals being achieved. As such, it is a relative concept that can never be exactly defined.