Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 8

भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः | अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च ||

bhavān bhīṣmaś ca karṇaś ca kṛpaś ca samitiñjayaḥ aśvatthāmā vikarṇaś ca saumadattis tathaiva ca

Yourself, Bhishma, Karna, and Kripa — always victorious in battle; Ashvatthama, Vikarna, and the son of Somadatta as well.

Duryodhana lists his champions one by one: Drona, Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, Ashvatthama, and the others. But notice the oddity here — he is naming his commanders to Drona, who is the commander-in-chief himself. Why tell someone what they already know perfectly well? This is not information; this is reassurance. He is talking himself up, reminding himself of his strengths. We all do this when we are anxious — we recite our advantages not to inform anyone else, but to convince ourselves. The repetition itself reveals an inner doubt dressed up as confidence. True confidence does not need constant affirmation — anxiety does.