Recognizing your own signs of being self-absorbed and being willing to overcome them is an extremely mature thing to do. Self-centeredness can not only harm your personality development, but can lead you to losing friends, and a good bond with your family.
Therefore it is important to reach out for help, un-learn old habits and try to think in a better way. Knowing the signs will help you recognize selfish people and give you a warning if you are leading the path towards a self-absorbed life. Once you learn to remove your selfish needs from the motive behind every action, you are likely to be more helpful for the world.
MAKING EVERYTHING A RACE
This happens especially to people who grow up under extreme pressure from parents to live up to a certain standard. This is often a trait of kids who have grown up in urban cultures, with an environment for competition right from primary levels. These children often grow up to be prejudiced, unkind, and unable to work in any group humbly, without a self-achievement goal rigidly set.
So, it is important to learn to take life as it is, and walk the mile without just compulsively needing to win at all times. Otherwise, you will never be able to be a good friend.
NO ROOM FOR CRITICISM
We often come across people who have a terrible capacity for criticism. This is perhaps because of their unwillingness to accept another person’s opinions, or see things differently than their perspective.
Such a trait should be immediately pointed out, spoken about, because criticism from people who want you to get better is extremely helpful. At the same time, remember to always go for constructive criticism, without bringing the other person’s efforts to a destruction!
THE SIGNS OF BEING DECEPTIVELY HELPFUL
Often, selfish people pretend to say things that sound helpful and nice, but in the long run, they do not really mean anything, and moreover makes problems more complicated. The reason being that such people need to quickly divert the priority towards themselves, without having to talk about you for too long!
UNABLE TO ACCEPT FAILURE
Self-centered people respond to failure with break-down, anger, and disgust. This can make progress stagnates, in any field of life. The door to criticism must be open in order to be more successful.
MAKES EVERYTHING ABOUT THEMSELVES
You may find that every simple group activity, even a day out becomes diverted to a self-absorbed person the whole time. Or, if you ask this person for help, they will focus on talking about themselves! If you find yourself trapped in a cage of self-centeredness, try to LISTEN, without attempting advice on something you cannot understand or have little practical experience with.
NEVER PUTS OTHERS’ NEEDS BEFORE THEIRS
People who genuinely care about others will naturally make the effort to put others’ needs before theirs, when necessary. Empathy is an important part to being truly helpful. Genuine people are often risk-takers, and will have the courage to sacrifice little joys, and make any experience about everyone, and not look for opportunities to gain a little something from everywhere. The journey is more about LEARNING!
OFTEN LIES, EVEN ABOUT TINY MATTERS
Selfish people will lie about things, exaggerate their own achievements and distort reality just to inflate their self-image. It thus gets difficult to socialize, or trust them with simple matters, and become detrimental to friendships. Take a step back if you find yourself doing this, and just accept things as they are.
Slowly get over the need to win at every step of life.
7 Common Signs A Person Is Self-Absorbed & Self-Centered (mindbodygreen.com)
14 warning signs of selfish people to keep them from hurting you (hackspirit.com)
