Pride Isn’t a Bad Word

By the time you’re reading this sentence, I want you to understand that I’ve written and erased the start to this blog a dozen times. Much of the time spent strategizing this message has been deciding how much profanity I’m going to allow myself. It’s not the first time I’ve written about pride. It’s not even the second time I’ve written about pride.

I’ve never seen a time where men and women, young and old are able to live without the slightest ounce of pride. Pride, after all, is the ultimate internal governor for who you are and how you’re living.

Without pride, how can you be a compelling contributor to your community? Without pride, how do you plan on competing in business? Sport? Without pride, the first concession that’s made will be yourself and with that logic, how will you ever become the greatest version of yourself? There are great benefits to being a discounted version of a capable person, you know?

I’m a firm believer that people in our society create negative connotations around basic, essential ideals like pride and self-respect because it’s much easier to condemn someone else’s than have the courage to find your own. Furthermore, the mind that seeks comfort in touting self-sacrifice and concessions in personal responsibility doesn’t make anyone better. In fact, the first thing one of these folks will say is to look at how much of themselves they’ve given up for others. What these folks don’t realize is that showing others a standard of excellence could be the best gift you can ever give.

Have some goddamn pride, people.

 

Logan Gelbrich

@functionalcoach