… Your own, that is.
Arrogance speaks only in words. It finds rational arguments to convince us of things we wish were true. In essence it is denial and at its most severe it criticizes others as self-defense.
It is the part of you that makes excuses, and they can be very convincing. It may tell you ”I don’t need to learn this” or, “I already know that” but behind these phrases often lies fear, the fear that we are being led away from our preferred self-image.
Rarely are we in a position to rationalize accurately what is or isn’t relevant to our future. Yet the more elaborate and specific the image we seek for ourselves, the more we will be arrogant and unaware of the opportunities around us to grow and change.
There is a better approach. That of openness and humility.
Humility speaks in feelings, and intuits what is real as truth. Humility needs no words to explain or justify. Its intuition knows the steps one must take in order to progress.
So how do we spot the difference? We must connect with our feelings. If you do not need to explain to yourself why a particular path is or is not relevant to you, you are probably acting in your best interests.
It is when we feel the need to defend our positions that something isn’t right. When we find ourselves justifying our position with “because” and “but”, we must take a moment to become aware of how we feel. It may be that we are afraid.
“You cannot think your way in to becoming yourself”.
Act with humility, seek out the part of you that knows truth with intuition. Allow yourself the belief that you know what is right for you without having to rationalize it. And, if you are afraid, be honest about it, with yourself and with others.
