Sometimes, the people who come across as extremely confident or who make you feel small are actually incredibly insecure. While they may seem important and put together on the outside, this is a false veneer covering some deep wounds on the inside. Here are five ways insecure people try to make themselves seem important.
Overt bragging
Truly secure people do not feel the need to flaunt their accomplishments in the face of others. If someone is constantly name-dropping or boasting about their achievements, chances are this behavior is masking a deep insecurity.
It’s their way or the highway
Insecure people have a need to be right, all the time. They aren’t comfortable with ambiguity or admitting their mistakes. They will go to great lengths to prove they are right in order to feel a sense of importance. Unfortunately, this often means you will be “wrong,” and trying to prove otherwise is an exhausting and fruitless endeavor.
Well actually …
Do you know someone who is always showing off their intelligence and desperately trying to prove how smart they are? People who are confident in their abilities don’t feel a need to showboat or correct other people’s mistakes in an obnoxious fashion. If someone is constantly correcting your grammar or lecturing you on their area of expertise with a condescending attitude, don’t take it personally. Rack it up to their own insecurity and move on.
Won’t give you a chance to finish your train of thought
Constantly interrupting other people is a sign of disrespect. Sometimes, people are simply poor listeners. Other times, people butt in and assert their point of view as a way to feel important. When the latter occurs, you can bet the person doing the interrupting has something to prove and isn’t feeling completely secure in their position.
Putting other people down
People who are deeply insecure often mask this inadequacy by demeaning others so that they can feel better about themselves. Oftentimes, insecure people are operating from a scarcity–-resulting in a competitive mindset. Their underlying belief is that in order for me to be better, you have to be worse.
