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On this list, we can see things people consider themselves to be better at than, for example, 100 random people. These things range from kind of simple ones such as cooking, sports, or games to devastating ones like disappointing their parents or self-deprecation. Well, without going down that rabbit hole, let’s just say that some of these skills are way more handy in life than others.
While some people just trust in their skill set enough to consider themselves better than many others, some other people might simply have a superiority complex. This complex is a belief that your abilities or accomplishments are dramatically better than other people’s. It might make a person condescending, smug, or simply mean.
It can be caused by both low and high self-esteem, depending on the person and situation. When a person has low self-esteem, they try to hide it by exaggerating their accomplishments. On the other hand, when a person has high self-esteem, they might simply be overconfident in their achievements and abilities. Either way, both of the cases, in a way, form an unrealistic self-perception.
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Fortunately, there are several things people can do if they feel themselves developing a superiority complex or are told they already have one:
- Making a list with actual accomplishments and abilities without any exaggeration;
- Avoiding all-or-nothing thinking by trying to find balance in between;
- Trying to feel happy for others without feeling bad about yourself;
- Forgiving yourself for mistakes without beating yourself up.
If these things sound easier said than done, it’s because they are. Building a realistic sense of self takes time and work, just as any other type of mental health work does. In fact, accomplishing this by yourself might not even be achievable for some, and help from a specialist, like a therapist, might be needed.
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On the other side of the spectrum lies the inferiority complex. It’s when a person feels insecure and inadequate about their abilities, achievements, and daily life. Typically, they believe they're physically or mentally inferior to others, no matter if that’s actually true or not.
This can lead a person to either (fully or partially) withdraw from interacting with others or overcompensate their self-esteem, which can sometimes lead to an already discussed superiority complex.
Frequently, an inferiority complex develops due to some kind of trauma, typically during childhood or sometimes later in life. Some men are more susceptible to it when they are intimidated by other men, so they feel less than due to toxic masculinity.
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People from this list don't seem to suffer from an inferiority complex, do they? And about the superiority one, well, who's to say -- there might be some who exaggerated their abilities. But, hey, who's going to check? As far as we know, no one is planning to put a random group of 100 people in a room and test their skills, as was suggested in the original Reddit question.
Do you have any skills you think you are better at than many others? Share them with us in the comments!
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