What Does Pride Mean?

Pride can mean many different things to people, both positive and negative. It can be a powerful emotion that drives people to do great things, yet it can also be a force that pushes people towards arrogance and hubris. But what does it truly mean to be proud?

Pride as a Virtue

At its core, pride is a feeling of self-respect and appreciation for what you have accomplished. It’s an acknowledgement that you have overcome challenges, achieved great things, and deserve a pat on the back. From this point of view, pride is a form of self-validation and an acknowledgement that you have made the effort to improve yourself, and have succeeded.

Furthermore, pride helps to motivate us and gives us the strength and assurance to take on new challenges and strive for even greater accomplishments. Such self-motivation and determination are the foundation of success, and when these feelings are coupled with a sense of pride, one can truly set themselves up for greater heights.

Pride as a Flaw

While pride can be seen as a virtue, it also has the potential to become a detriment. Pride can sometimes lead us to become overly confident in our abilities, dismissing the help of others or becoming overly territorial of our work in order to bolster our sense of accomplishment.

Pride can also lead to bitterness when things don’t go as we plan. We might take our defeats or mistakes too personally, because we’ve invested so much of our self worth into them. Pride can also leave us feeling superior and entitled, instead of humble and gracious.

The Balance of Pride

It’s important to keep a healthy balance of pride: it should be neither too much nor too little. To maintain this balance, it’s important to be aware of your feelings around your accomplishments and successes. Acknowledge them, but also remember that they don’t define you. Feeling proud of your accomplishments is important, but so is being able to admit when you are wrong or have made a mistake. And above all else, don’t let your pride keep you from asking for help or reaching out to others.

Pride is the feeling of well-earned success, and it is an important emotion for recognizing and rewarding our efforts. But it is also important to maintain a healthy sense of perspective, so that pride does not lead to arrogance or hubris. In the end, pride should be a source of inspiration and motivation that drives us towards greater success.