Your Most Expensive Trait

Elias was an exceptional Architect, famous for daring, minimalist skyscrapers and equally famous for brushing off anyone who questioned him.

On his biggest and most daring building yet, engineers warned that his razor‑thin support columns might buckle. Elias waved them away: “Vision requires risk.”

Construction roared ahead. Weeks before opening, hairline cracks crept across the lobby walls. Emergency inspections confirmed the worst: the tower was unstable and work had to stop. Investors pulled funding, the building was on the verge of collapse, and the project was halted. It left Elias with a mountain of debt and a shattered reputation.

Elias faced the consequences of his pride in the most brutal way possible. If only he had known Naval’s wisdom: “The most expensive trait is pride.”

Pride is the enemy of learning; it keeps you stuck at a suboptimal point. The path to your best self is paved with humility, not pride. Today is your day to remove pride and choose humility.

P.S. The Optimistic Outlook is Now a Podcast! Leaving a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts would mean a lot to me.