How grandiosity can be channeled into a positive outcomes

Nobody stands at foot of an unblazed trail without a few mental abnormalities.

A certain level of healthy narcissism and productive arrogance are required to become a prolific creator. You have to be just grandiose and just audacious enough to empower the belief in your own value as a leader.

Otherwise you your projects won’t get off the ground and ultimately earn paying customers.

Now, from a psychological perspective, the term grandiosity typically means an unrealistic sense of superiority. You think you’re better than people and entitled to whatever you want. And there is little or no awareness of the gap between your expectations on reality, and how that impacts your relationships.

For the record, that’s not the type of grandiosity we’re talking about here. Read the diagnostic interview for pathologically narcissistic patients. Grandiose people tend to appear arrogant and boastful, and are unrealistically optimistic about their future. They exaggerate their talent, capacity, and achievements in an unrealistic way without recognizing their limitations.

Again, doing this isn’t recommended. Despite the fact that many our highest government and corporate officials do it every single day of their lives with zero consequences, it’s still not advised.

What’s helpful is figuring out your own judicious use of grandiosity. Because it can be a motivating force for positive change.

Hell, the word itself simply means, grand in effect. And so, when employed intentionally with empathy and awareness, it can be a useful mindset in executing your creative work. Grandiosity can be channeled into a positive outcomes.

If the painter elevates her commissioned pieces to the level of life purpose choice, and that fuels her to execute art that makes her proud, makes her money and makes buyers happy, then what’s the problem?

If the copywriter treats his advertising job as a daily opportunity to make meaning in alignment with his cherished values, and that keeps him sane at the office, then what’s the harm?

If the graffiti artist treats his subway tags as courageous public expressions of his cherished identity, and that keeps him off drugs, then what’s the issue?

If the social entrepreneur writes a press release about how her new software platform is going to revolutionize the industry, and that vision helps her attract venture capital funding to grow the enterprise, then who cares if she’s grandiose?

It’s one thing to use grandiosity to medicate and distract yourself, it’s another to use it as a tactic.

Jack Sparrow, the fictional pirate lord of the seven seas, has a hilarious quote from his movie that always stuck with me:

Crazy people don’t know they’re crazy. But I know I’m crazy, therefore I’m not crazy. Isn’t that crazy?

Makes a lot of sense. Believing that you are going crazy is often a good clue that you are sane.

Try using the grandiosity of your ambitions work to your advantage. Accept that you’re not better than other humans and not a deity, but also remember that you have to be at least a little deluded to do this kind of work.

Have you figured out your own judicious use of grandiosity?