By: The Observer
I am hardly ever taken aback by people’s actions and attitudes anymore, mainly because of the experiences I have gone through and the things I have had to put up with in life. Hard lessons have a way of opening up your eyes. They teach you to look beyond the surface and to see people for who they really are—without letting every disappointment take you in. When you have seen enough, surprise slowly gives way to understanding.
Over time, I have come across people who always seem to come out on top, never on the losing side. They win and win again until winning becomes the only story they know. There is nothing wrong with that in itself. The trouble is that when you are always right, few people will point out your faults. No one wants to call you out or pull you up, because you have built up a reputation that cannot be questioned. So you may never own up to a mistake—not because you are flawless, but because no one dares to tell you otherwise.
I once came across someone who seemed to be the standard everyone else had to live up to. Whatever he did was right; if another person did the same thing, it was wrong—simply because it had not come from him. He had set himself up as the measure of all things, and those around him learned to hold back, tiptoe around him, and keep quiet. In that kind of atmosphere, truth gets pushed aside, and pride quietly takes over. Nobody wants to speak up, because doing so would mean going against someone who never admits he is wrong.
This is how people end up surrounded by echoes instead of honest voices. When no one pulls you up, you may carry on believing you are beyond correction. You miss out on the growth that comes from being challenged. You never get to figure out who you are when you are wrong, and you never learn to look back on your mistakes with humility. A person who is never corrected may feel powerful, but they often grow out of touch with reality—and with themselves.
So I have learned not to be dazzled by those who always come out on top. I look out for humility, honesty, and the willingness to own up. I try to keep around people who can call me out when I need it, because true friends do not just cheer you on; they also help you grow into a better version of yourself. Being right all the time may feel good, but being real, teachable, and willing to move on from your mistakes is far better. In the end, character is not proved by never falling—it is proved by getting up, learning from the fall, and moving forward.
