“I am not my arrogance”

You might say I’m a bit arrogant. I’m not usually too obnoxious about how great I think I am, but I am arrogant nonetheless. You probably couldn’t tell just by looking at me. In fact, I’m pretty good at feigning humility so I don’t seem too conceited. But in the end of the day, not even too deep down, I’m arrogant. I honestly believe that as long as I work hard and give it my best effort, I will get what I want. The problem with thinking that way is that no one is perfect. Everyone at some point in their lives meets rejection and failure. As someone that never considers rejection as a potential outcome until it occurs, I tend not to take it pretty well. Failures always hurt deeper when unexpected and it never occurred to me that I could fail.

I could have been spared from so much pain if I just had a greater sense of humility. If I had only realized that part of being human is making mistakes and getting rejected. The only measure of control we have in those moments is how we react to our circumstance. I realize now and refuse to allow my arrogance to destroy my happiness. I refuse to let my arrogance define me. I am not my arrogance.