We need a certain amount of arrogance if we want to:

  • Make a difference in the world.
  • Become an expert in our field.
  • Share our brilliant ideas.
  • Stand up in front of a group and present with confidence.
  • Make that call to sell whatever it is we’re selling.
  • Dare to maximise our potential.

I know that arrogance is often an unattractive and unwanted attribute, but it can come in handy sometimes.

I’m not talking about arrogance that has us thinking that we’re better than everyone else.  I don’t mean that we get to be rude of dismissive with others.

I mean the kind of arrogance that dares to change the world and aspires to greatness.

Shakespeare once wrote, “Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting.”

It’s a great reminder that we each need a healthy dose of confidence in our abilities and ideas if we are to maximise our level of influence.

Mother Teresa was a wonderful personification of humility.  She was often found limping because she was wearing ill-fitting shoes.  Her reasoning was that when shoes were donated to her charity, she would wear the worst ones that came in, so that the people she served didn’t have to.

Even in the midst of such humility, she still had the courage and audacity (dare I say arrogance?) to stand in front of the United Nations and world leaders to advocate for the least fortunate in our society.  She dared to believe that she had a message that needed to be heard and that a simple nun from Albania could be used by God to make a real and lasting difference in the world.

So today, don’t be afraid to display a certain amount of arrogance.

Lift your head up, put your shoulders back, interact boldly, take pride in your work and share your knowledge.

It’s difficult to be great without it.

And we need you to be great.

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