Egotistical People Who Think More Highly Of Themselves Than Anyone Else Usually Have These 10 Traits
There's nothing attractive or appealing about being arrogant.
Benevolente82 | Shutterstock When someone says a person thinks too highly of themselves, it often refers to having an inflated sense of ego or self-importance. To think this way means holding an unrealistic view of their abilities, characteristics and accomplishments, and may even have a superiority complex.
Whether it's lacking humility, disregarding the feelings or thoughts of others, or having a sense of entitlement, egotistical people who think more highly of themselves than anyone else usually have these traits. Ultimately, these traits lead to complacency, hindrance of personal growth, and puts a strain on their personal relationships.
Egotistical people who think more highly of themselves than anyone else usually have these 10 traits
1. They won't be friends with people who disagree with them
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One of the best measures of maturity and intelligence is the ability to listen to and respect the opinions of others who don't necessarily agree with your own. In other words, yes, you can still be friends with people you don't agree with.
But for egotistical people, rather than use differences of opinions and beliefs as an opportunity to expand their horizons, learn and grow, they simply cut those people off.
"Scrutinizing someone else's value in your life based on their personal views is antithetical to solid friendships. Asking someone to hold identical views to your own or risk being negatively evaluated and banished is antithetical to friendship," psychology professor Todd B. Kashdan explained.
2. They gossip about other people behind their back
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Egotistical people who think more highly of themselves than anyone else usually tend to gossip about others behind their back. And though they know they may be stirring the pot, their ego won't let them refrain from commenting on the lifestyles of others.
Nothing good comes from gossip. It's often untrue, almost always hurtful, and people who gossip are very insecure. A good-hearted person who is secure within themselves doesn't feel the need to tear down and criticize others.
As therapist Hannah Rose pointed out, "When we gossip, we are fertilizing our minds with toxicity and judgment. We are much more likely to scrutinize ourselves when we are busy scrutinizing others. We are significantly more susceptible to self-centered fear and the obsession that others are going to gossip about us."
3. They inflate their accomplishments
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Have you ever noticed that Nobel Prize winners and other legitimately accomplished people never seem to embellish their credentials? The reason for this is that they don't have to.
Egotistical people, on the other hand, find themselves needing to inflate or create accomplishments to help others perceive them differently. They prefer to focus on making sure their perceived persona is positive, rather than doing what they need to do so they don't have to live behind a false personality.
4. They never show their vulnerable side
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When someone never shows vulnerability, they may be emotionally stunted. For people who think very highly of themselves, they don't feel the need to open up to others, even if it would reveal their empathy from deep down.
Compassion and kindness will always get a person farther in life. And for people with a big ego, they don't think this is true, though people are usually more inclined to help those they like.
5. They can't take constructive criticism
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Egotistical people who think more highly of themselves than anyone else are unable to accept any form of criticism, even if it's constructed and intended to help, and are often defensive. They believe that someone criticizing them is trying to devalue them and portray them as a horrible person.
Contrary to what they believe, someone who offers constructive criticism is just letting you know there's a little room for improvement. Instead of shutting it down, egotistical people should use criticism as an opportunity to learn from others' mistakes, rather than cheating themselves and getting angry about it.
6. They think they're the exception to the rules
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Their refusal to follow rules makes it exceptionally difficult for people who do, and quite often this behavior only paves the way for them to create more rules. But at the end of the day, there's no prize for being the most defiant, and it really only makes them look immature and silly.
According to research published in Society for Personality and Social Psychology, "people with a greater sense of entitlement are less likely to follow instructions than less entitled people are, because they view the instructions as an unfair imposition on them." And that means they would rather lose than "submit" to another person's rules.
7. They're unwilling to work hard to accomplish their goals
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Egotistical people are extremely entitled and believe they don't need to push themselves as hard as others to accomplish their goals. But they don't always realize that nobody is going to offer them lots of money, a huge house to live in, or the job they've always wanted just because they think it's owed to them.
They won't do the jobs other people think they're too good for or go the extra mile when they don't have to, even though that's exactly what it takes to become successful. While they think they're showing everyone how different and worthy they are, they really just appear entitled and lazy.
8. They're afraid to take risks
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There's always a risk when people choose to branch out on their own, but being fearful of growing up and being a self-reliant adult will only limit a person from accomplishing everything they want. For people who think way too highly of themselves, they have trouble acting mature in this way.
But as psychotherapist Amy Morin pointed out, "Taking calculated risks is a great way to build mental strength. Doing things that scare you helps you learn to tolerate uncertainty and anxiety. It also provides you with a chance to sharpen your skills and learn from your mistakes."
9. They hide behind fake profiles and relationships
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People who are emotionally healthy and have fulfilling lives don't hide behind fake social media profiles and entice others into relationships based on a fictional person. But egotistical people won't take a good, hard look at themselves to find what's missing inside, choosing to live vicariously through lies.
They can't seem to bring themselves to stop and be honest with the people they deceive. In fact, one study published in Contemporary Family Therapy found that people who create fake profiles often suffer from low self-esteem and feel undesirable romantically.
10. They never take responsibility for their actions
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Egotistical people who think more highly of themselves than anyone else don't ever take responsibility for their actions. Instead, they have a tendency to turn things around on people when they're actually at fault and pass the buck when it comes to taking responsibility for how they act.
It not only shows that they hold themselves in such high regard that they believe they're immune from accountability, but that they're incredibly immature. It's simple to apologize and accept your mistakes, but for these people, they will never admit they've done something wrong.
Christina Steinorth-Powell, LMFT is a psychotherapist, relationship expert, and the author of three books. Her advice has been featured on Fox News, NBC, CBS and in publications such as Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Woman's Day, Glamour, The Chicago Tribune, among many others.
