Pride allows an individual earning minimum wage, to refuse advice from a close friend whose net worth exceeds seven figures, strategies on building a financial legacy.

Pride is able to make you refuse asking a Pulitzer Prize awarded relative, assistance on reviewing your essay, even though you are struggling to get beyond page one.

Pride is that fickle creature on your shoulder, which makes a person unwilling to ask for nutritional tips, though their weight loss or gain, plateaued months ago.

As you can see from the examples above, pride sets limitations…limitations with no external force at play but through one’s own perception. Is pride a bad thing? Pride brings about an individual’s inordinate opinion of their importance, merit or superiority. By this definition, the opinion of self on this level is a bad thing. Having confidence and pride are two different things, but some easily confuse the two.

When you are a gentleman or lady, it means knowing, living and spreading humility. Having confidence, self-esteem and belief in the person you are, should never enter the realm of arrogance.

Whenever someone compliments my suit, pocket square, shoes or socks, I humbly accept the compliment but still give all credit to my tailor. Why is this important for me? Why extend the compliment to my tailor, when the person wearing the items happens to be me?

I have been in the presence of those with far less than I, all the way to those with far more. There are instances these very individuals receive compliments, but the reaction is far different from mine. “That is a very beautiful car.”

With a pompous aura, they accept the compliment, look your way and continue onward. Pride limits these individuals from positively reacting to a compliment and not because of humbleness; they do so because the compliment is insignificant.

Ladies and gentlemen, a humbled heart is priceless in a world clouded by materialism and arrogance.