"Cecilia's resourcefulness was one aspect of the unique kind of self-confidence she possessed. Some people seem confident because they proclaim their opinions loudly. But real confidence does not need to be loud. It does not need to perform or seek attention. Cecilia was confident because she worked hard and knew how to do thorough and careful research. When she was sure she was right about something, she stuck to her position because she trusted herself.
"Only once did this confidence falter. When a famous astronomer told her she could not possibly be correct about the stars being made of hydrogen and helium, Cecilia doubted herself. But this makes me like her all the more — because we all have weak moments. What matters is what we do next. Get angry? Call ourselves failures? Blame other people? Cecilia did none of these. She just carried on with her work until it became clear that she had been right all along. Then she used her story as a lesson for her students, as a reminder that even the most eminent scholars can be wrong — so do your work carefully, trust yourself, and keep an open mind."
