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Pride and Arrogance: What Happens when we Forget We're All Human
It’s easy to feel like you’ve finally figured life out when things are going well. Your kid’s a star athlete, you just dropped 15 pounds, your job is building momentum.
But those moments can sometimes create a sneaky backlash. People can unknowingly slip into the idea that they’ve found the formula for success in some, or all, departments in life. After all, it’s always easier to spot other people’s mistakes and bad decisions.
And in those moments or areas where life is going smoothly, you may find yourself lulled into the illusion that you somehow get it and other people don’t.
As this video explores, feeling superior to other people is not a sign that we’re doing better than other people. It’s a sign that we’ve lost our perspective.
Life moves in cycles. There are seasons of clarity and seasons of confusion, moments when everything feels easy and moments when even simple tasks feel difficult.
We get arrogant during our peaks and ashamed during our valleys. And neither reaction serves us well.
Feeling superior is not a sign that you’re better than other people. It’s a sign that you’ve lost perspective.
The truth is that getting lost isn’t a failure. It’s part of being human. In fact, on a very regular basis we all get lost, and then we find our way.
That also means that if you’ve found your way, you’re about to get lost at some point. So feeling arrogant or superior when we’re doing great doesn’t make much sense, and there’s a clear and predictable downside of leaning into those feelings.
When we understand this rhythm we find the humility and grace that comes from remembering we’re all fighting internal battles that come and go constantly. So in a way, it has nothing to do with us.
And somehow understanding that fact not only protects us from shame, but creates more compassion for the people in our lives, and more importantly, for ourselves.
That’s what today’s video is about.
erika bugbee
I’m a global coach who works with teens, individuals, couples, and practitioners that are open and motivated to change.
