It's been one of those weeks when you take a minute to reflect on how grateful you are as a Barcelona fan. Being a champion is not about being dominant at all times. At Barcelona, that can be hard to remember playing in the generation after the tiki taka revolution. Great teams need to have humility. The more superstars you have, and the greater the expectations, the more important it is to be humble and not take winning for granted.
"I hired someone who's CV was two lines. Their experience was zero," Bartlett explained in a recent LinkedIn post. "Much of the reason why I gave her the job was because: She thanked the security guard by name on the way into the building." She continued to prove herself during the hiring process in seemingly small ways too-and those acts of humility got her the job, not her credentials.
We or anyone might sometimes come across with an egotistical manner. This includes being arrogant, belligerent, entitled, and controlling-the compulsions of a person driven by ego. Here are some challenging practices that can help us let go of egotism and build a healthy ego, one with self-esteem, humility, and loving-kindness. The practices may seem over-the-top in what they ask of us, a radically spiritual way of living.
What's your favourite thing about yourself? Stylist's Love Yourself campaign asked over 400 women that, and published eight pages of their answers. People mostly picked low-key, quite specific stuff I can cook something out of nothing; I'm really strong; I can talk to anyone; I've got an excellent bum and it was lovely, and touching, to see women affirm what they like about themselves.
Indeed, our most painful and vivid memories are often of experiences in which we were humiliated by or in front of others. Embarrassment can lead to shame and self-loathing. It can diminish our confidence, shake us from our sense of certainty, and cause the kind of repression that expresses itself in all types of neuroses. When we feel embarrassed, we want to avoid others and conceal that of which we are ashamed.
The wisdom here isn't about self-deprecation, but rather embracing what Davis et al. (2011) refer to as the "just right view of the self." When we clearly understand both our strengths and weaknesses, we gain a better understanding of the value we bring to our environment as well as where we need additional support. In theory, when we recognize this, neither flattery nor insult should have the power to distort our self-worth.
We live in a culture that celebrates speed. We respond to emails at all hours of the day, have packed schedules, and feel pressure to be constantly productive. This drive to keep going is fueled by expectations-our own and others'. Yet when we push beyond our limits, we risk not only exhaustion but also the loss of vital resources like physical and mental health, our capacity for emotional regulation, and strong relationships.
This distorted view of humans in which we use ourselves as some sort of standard to which individuals of other species should strive is not only arrogant, but singularly ill-informed. We clearly need a new mindset, a paradigm shift in which we de-center ourselves and work alongside other species to change the dismal road on which we are currently and recklessly traveling. Christine offers that and much more.
Aryna Sabalenka thought she had everything figured out. She believed she had done all the work necessary, harnessing successfully her once uncontrollable power into consistent excellence. After overcoming so many hurdles en route to becoming the best player in the world, she felt ready for anything. Sabalenka was convinced she could handle any challenge that came her way. It was not until her excruciating French Open final defeat against Coco Gauff that Sabalenka understood this was not true.
