A pompous partner in a large consulting firm was sent to me for executive coaching in the area of employee relations. I started the meeting by asking him what he thought the problem was. He said, “Well, it’s obvious my intellect intimidates people.” I just had to ask him, “Are you sure it isn’t just your ego aggravating them?”
Under the law of averages, if you think too much of yourself, others won’t.
The ass who thinks he’s a deer discovers the truth when he comes to a fence.
Today’s peacock is tomorrow’s feather duster.
Egotism dulls the mind to stupidity.
Ego is a sneaky corrupter.
Even when people are dropping rose petals on you there may be someone down the street with a rotten tomato.
Feeling you’ve got it made is the first step into a rut.
The bigger your head gets, the easier it is to fill your shoes.
The egoist says, here I am! Likeable people say, there you are!
If you know all the answers perhaps you aren’t being asked the right questions.
Trying to make an impression is probably the impression you will make.
Some people grow small trying to be big.
Let others find out for themselves how great you are.
Those who are quick to tell you what they are, usually aren’t.
If you’ve earned the right to brag, you don’t have to.
The sound travels farther when somebody else blows your horn.
A lot of life’s problems are caused by people with the need to feel important.