How to be less self absorbed

A person with a big ego carries some specific characteristics. Among the most common are ambition, arrogance and exhibitionism. People who have this kind of personality believe that the world revolves around them. In other words, everything that happens is someone else’s fault, because someone said something or failed to do something. Let’s face it: having a personality like this can be very complicated for life in general. But don’t panic. You are not a goner. In fact, nobody’s a goner. We’ll show that it’s possible to act in a more humble and sensible way and how to be less self absorbed.

5 steps to control your ego and become less self-absorbed

1. Stop being offended by everything

Being offended by everything and taking it personally is silly. We all know people who do not know how to receive criticism, regardless of whether they are negative or constructive.

Generally, they don’t know how to play or understand when someone plays with them, people like that tend to live isolated from the world around them. If you hear something you don’t like, ignore it, know that no one can control someone else’s life.

2. Free yourself from the need to be right all the time

If you are that kind of person who needs to be right all the time, change this behavior that only makes others want to be far away from you.

We are not always right all the time and there are zero problems about that. Most of the time we are wrong, and assuming that, apologizing shows that you are an open-minded person who is capable of listening, reflecting and, much more important, a person who respects other people’s ideas.

Remember: we all make mistakes but we also do or say the right things, because we are not always right or wrong. Simple, isn’t it?

3. Don’t need to always want more than what you already achieve

People who are never happy with what they have, the more they have, the more they want. Attention, being ambitious is good, but when ambition is above everything and everyone, it may become a mental health issue.

This quest to always have more and never be satisfied with anything may be seriously dangerous. Sometimes, who wants everything, ends losing everything.

4. Avoid talking about yourself all the time

Talk about yourself only if you have something interesting to share (for example, a new achievement to inspire others and yourself, or a thought to generate reflection in others and yourself).

If you feel the need to talk about yourself, try to do it through art. Only art reaches the depth of the subjective self and transfers it to intersubjectivity in a deep and intense way – and not selfish, since art touches everyone and awakens them to the transcendent.

5. When someone is talking, listen

Last but not least, and following the previous tip, if someone is talking, listen. Do not interrupt. Don’t always think that your work, interests and achievements are more valuable than others.

If you look around or try to listen to someone else’s chat while your friend is talking, you will look bored and self-absorbed. When you are with someone, pay attention to that person. Focus. Listen to what that person has to say and ask questions and show interest about the subject. More important: show respect about other people’s feelings and ideas.

Get out of your comfort zone. If you’ll live in that bubble forever, it’s obvious that you will end up alone. Free your mind, try experiences that scare you, things that shake your day. The more you learn, the easier to be less self-absorbed.