--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The challenge of abating one with a…" description: "\"The challenge of abating one with a genuine ego problem is to not try to put him down. Any and all antagonization, in his mind, is merely compensated f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/criss-jami-320_arrogance_the-challenge-of-abating-one-with-a-genu_2627734.jpg" --- # The challenge of abating one with a genuine ego problem is… ![“The challenge of abating one with a genuine ego problem is to not try to put him down. Any and all antagonization, in his mind, is merely compensated for by his own descriptions: his feelings of persecution by the envious and his ideals of worth. Arguably, the genuine ego is more of a…” quote by Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/criss-jami-320_arrogance_the-challenge-of-abating-one-with-a-genu_2627734.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/criss-jami-320_arrogance_the-challenge-of-abating-one-with-a-genu_2627734.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/criss-jami-320_arrogance_the-challenge-of-abating-one-with-a-genu_2627734.jpg) > “The challenge of abating one with a genuine ego problem is to not try to put him down. Any and all antagonization, in his mind, is merely compensated for by his own descriptions: his feelings of persecution by the envious and his ideals of worth. Arguably, the genuine ego is more of a circumstantial defense mechanism rather than a steady arrogance in need of starvation.” [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dealing with a true ego issue requires avoiding belittling; antagonism fuels their self‑perception of persecution and inflated self‑worth. **In simple terms:** Don’t attack ego‑driven people; they see criticism as persecution. Key Takeaway Treat ego‑driven individuals with empathy, not contempt. Themes ego defense perception humility Mood empathetic reflective Type advice psychological When to use this quote - workplace conflict - personal relationships - therapy sessions - leadership coaching Key Concepts psychology defense mechanisms self‑esteem Questions to Reflect On - How can you address ego without triggering defensiveness? - What alternative strategies reduce perceived persecution? A Different Perspective Ego may resist change despite gentle approaches. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrogance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Defense mechanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense-mechanism/) [Defense mechanisms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense-mechanisms/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Ego problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego-problem/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Persecution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persecution/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Starvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starvation/) ## Related quotes > [You lose the arrogance you need to be successful, but you need that arrogance because the second someone sees that side of you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-braxton/you-lose-the-arrogance-you-need-to-be-successful-but-you-need-that/) [Toni Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-braxton/) > [Kinsey would identify himself with Galileo in moments of feelings of persecution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-condon/kinsey-would-identify-himself-with-galileo-in-moments-of-feelings-of/) [Bill Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-condon/) > [“Because psychoanalytic institutes have not attempted to develop such functional administrative structures, the prevalent defenses of idealization and feelings of persecution have contributed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-f-kernberg/because-psychoanalytic-institutes-have-not-attempted-to-develop-such/) [Otto F. Kernberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-f-kernberg/) > [Ego problems are endemic in every walk of life, but in the movie business egomaniacs are megalomaniacs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-obst/ego-problems-are-endemic-in-every-walk-of-life-but-in-the-movie/) [Lynda Obst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-obst/) > [The great thing with film is that it doesn't have an ego. It's just a film. Everybody that makes them has an ego, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-boyle/the-great-thing-with-film-is-that-it-doesn-t-have-an-ego-it-s-just-a/) [Danny Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-boyle/) > [If you correct me and I get offended, then I have an EGO problem!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cv-pillay/if-you-correct-me-and-i-get-offended-then-i-have-an-ego-problem/) [Cv Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cv-pillay/) > [As Hubert Benoit said, it is not the identification with the ego that is the problem, but the exclusive nature of the identification. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/as-hubert-benoit-said-it-is-not-the-identification-with-the-ego-that/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [“Don't worry, now that I know about your little ego problem, I'll do my best to look all gushy when you pound your chest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/don-t-worry-now-that-i-know-about-your-little-ego-problem-i-ll-do-my/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) > [Let's face it; God has a big ego problem. Why do we always have to worship him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/let-s-face-it-god-has-a-big-ego-problem-why-do-we-always-have-to/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [The great corrupter of public men is the ego - corrupter because distracter. Wealth, sensuality, power cannot hold a candle to it. Looking in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-acheson/the-great-corrupter-of-public-men-is-the-ego-corrupter-because/) [Dean Acheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-acheson/) > [Every problem is an ego problem. In order to have a problem there has to be an ego-frustration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-levenson/every-problem-is-an-ego-problem-in-order-to-have-a-problem-there-has/) [Lester Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-levenson/) > [I Remained Quiet.. She Said I Have No Heart, I Remained Quiet.. ... She Said I Have EGO Problem, I Remained Quiet.. She Said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tauseef/i-remained-quiet-she-said-i-have-no-heart-i-remained-quiet-she-said-i/) Tauseef > [I know that I sound self-satisfied, and I know that I've got an ego, but I don't have an ego problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-know-that-i-sound-self-satisfied-and-i-know-that-i-ve-got-an-ego/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [But in the West it is very easy to dissolve the ego. So whenever a Western seeker reaches an understanding that ego is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/but-in-the-west-it-is-very-easy-to-dissolve-the-ego-so-whenever-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [If someone corrects you, and you feel offended, then YOU have an EGO problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/if-someone-corrects-you-and-you-feel-offended-then-you-have-an-ego/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) ## More by Criss Jami > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Religion, like science, is only noteworthy when it emphasizes a matter of what is true rather than whose belief is greater or lesser or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/religion-like-science-is-only-noteworthy-when-it-emphasizes-a-matter/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Slander does to a soul what cancer does to a cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/slander-does-to-a-soul-what-cancer-does-to-a-cell/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The hated man is the result of his hater's pride rather than his hater's conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-hated-man-is-the-result-of-his-hater-s-pride-rather-than-his/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [What is a genius? A person who demands little to nothing from others, but is often found extremely difficult to have around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-is-a-genius-a-person-who-demands-little-to-nothing-from-others/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [A man does not have to feel less than human to realize his sin; oppositely, he has to realize that he gets no special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/a-man-does-not-have-to-feel-less-than-human-to-realize-his-sin/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I would rather my descendants have greater abilities and a greater knowledge of the love of Christ than I do, much like standing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-would-rather-my-descendants-have-greater-abilities-and-a-greater/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/create-with-the-heart-build-with-the-mind/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Peace is more of an internal settlement rather than what is visible on the external.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/peace-is-more-of-an-internal-settlement-rather-than-what-is-visible/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Our entire lives we witness individuals, the ones who break some of the most culturally sensitive moral codes, ruined permanently by the media -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/our-entire-lives-we-witness-individuals-the-ones-who-break-some-of/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Senses of humor define people, as factions, deeper rooted than religious or political opinions. When carrying out everyday tasks, opinions are rather easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/senses-of-humor-define-people-as-factions-deeper-rooted-than/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I believe in evolution in the sense that a short-tempered man is the successor of a crybaby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-believe-in-evolution-in-the-sense-that-a-short-tempered-man-is-the/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“God speaks of his children shining best in ways that only he can provide. The heavens lift one as a golden child while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/god-speaks-of-his-children-shining-best-in-ways-that-only-he-can/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [It is never just disagreement but always intellectual dishonesty that is the apologist's worst enemy. And its apprentice is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-never-just-disagreement-but-always-intellectual-dishonesty-that/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Always work towards a dream or you'll always dream of working elsewhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/always-work-towards-a-dream-or-you-ll-always-dream-of-working/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) [Explore all 684 Criss Jami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## More Arrogance quotes > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/) [Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/) > [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/) [Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/) > [What you see of me on TV and all of that, that is me - that's truly how I feel. I'm just multiplying it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-corbin/what-you-see-of-me-on-tv-and-all-of-that-that-is-me-that-s-truly-how/) [Baron Corbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-corbin/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Never mistake someones quietness for their arrogance as you can surely miss out on an awsome personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-mistake-someones-quietness-for-their-arrogance-as-you-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/most-of-us-think-of-pride-as-self-centeredness-conceit-boastfulness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“I was consumed by a selfishness and arrogance that I didn't dare let go of until I found a new persona to hide behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/i-was-consumed-by-a-selfishness-and-arrogance-that-i-didn-t-dare-let/) [Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/) > [Arrogance is the outgrowth of prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/arrogance-is-the-outgrowth-of-prosperity/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [Timing and arrogance are decisive factors in the successful use of talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/timing-and-arrogance-are-decisive-factors-in-the-successful-use-of/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) > [Closed some doors, not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they no longer lead somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenz-jeffrey/closed-some-doors-not-because-of-pride-incapacity-or-arrogance-but/) [Frenz Jeffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenz-jeffrey/) > [My success isn't a result of arrogance - it's a result of belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcgregor/my-success-isn-t-a-result-of-arrogance-it-s-a-result-of-belief/) [Conor McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcgregor/) > [“...a great man who is vicious will only be a great doer of evil, and a rich man who is not liberal will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cervantes/a-great-man-who-is-vicious-will-only-be-a-great-doer-of-evil-and-a/) Miguel Cervantes > [An increasing number of people are growing uncomfortable with the gulf between the world's rich and the poor. Ostentatiously splashing your money around simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalle-lasn/an-increasing-number-of-people-are-growing-uncomfortable-with-the/) [Kalle Lasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalle-lasn/) [Browse all 1,418 Arrogance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The challenge of abating one with a genuine ego problem is to not try to put him down. Any and all antagonization, in his mind, is merely compensated for by his own descriptions: his feelings of persecution by the envious and his ideals of worth. 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