I interviewed a young man yesterday for a client here in Atlanta.At the end of all interviews I conduct, I tell the candidate, “Now I’m your consultant. Ask me anything you’d like to. About me, you, the opportunity before you.”He replied, “Do you think I’m the type of person who could succeed here?”To which I replied, “Their is no ‘type’ of person who might succeed. We are all ‘thumb prints.’ Unique. One of a kind. Odds might be 40 trillion to one any one of us would ever be duplicated.” Just be you. Always enough. Be humble. No need to be prideful. Faking you are someone more important than you really are. You are you. All the potential to be successful. It’s usually more about fit than capability. You can succeed anywhere. I have triplet 15 year old grandsons. Born the same day … minutes apart. Each is so different. Each has his own set of gifts.

What I love about them … even at the age of 16 is their authenticity. Comfort with themselves at such a young age. Never prideful.  Pride is focus on self. Ego that can fool you to seeing yourself as someone other than who you really are. Filling you with pride.All pride is competitive. All pride contains a hint of malice. All pride is bloated and fragile, because the ego’s attempts to establish security through power, money, status, intellect, and self-righteousness are never quite successful.

My father used to tell me, “Bobby, just be yourself. No need to think you’re a big deal.” Whether you believe it or not … you are not the center of the universe. Confidence comes from feeling “comfortable in your own skin.”But Pride? “I’ve got it all figured out.” Ah, never. Maybe just an overconfidence that moves us away from who we are truly meant to be …Very subtle. Be careful.