Never believe your own headlines

You may have been told growing up that you should never write your own press releases and you should never read your own articles. It’s solid advice; especially if you’re the kind of person who gets caught up in your own victories. The human race, by nature, is one that revels in successes and tends to throw caution to the wind once they start feeling invincible. It happens to everyone. After so much “winning,” the only natural response is to forget what loss feels like. You never want to be the smartest person in the room, because that just means there’s that much more space between you and the ground when you inevitably fall. Being human, there’s as much room for failure as there is for improvement. I can go to a party with all my staff, they’ll laugh at my jokes. If I go to a party with my friends, none of them will find me all that funny. The people you’re around will always treat you differently depending on what relationship you have to them. Some will be honest, and some will try to stroke your ego. Be careful and watch out for the ones who cannot be honest in any relationship with you.

God won’t ask you for your balance sheet when you get to heaven. Today may be a victory, but tomorrow may be a defeat. Your ego can be your worst enemy. There’s nothing stopping you from eventually becoming the butt of your own joke. Be careful, especially that the praise of those around you doesn’t exceed the worth of what you give to them. Humility is a currency worth far more than any boasting or hot air. So, spare yourself the censure and the ego, don’t read your press releases. Do the best job you can, be grateful for the victories and use the defeats as lessons on how to grow.