Definition
We feel hubris when our confidence overreaches—believing we're above limits, advice, or consequences.
>> Why We Have This Emotion
Hubris is a negative form of pride that pushes us to take risks and grab status by claiming credit for everything that goes right. We feel we deserve rewards. we're always right. We feel rules don't apply to us.
◈ How It Shows Up
“That Doesn't apply to me”Ignoring warnings or expert advicePublic grandstanding, seeking gloryDisdain for limits; reckless gamblesTreating luck as personal superiority
◎ What to do in the moment
Good Ideas
- Seek disconfirming evidence
- Invite a skeptic, adopt one fix
- Get peer sign-off on big choices
- Publish predictions vs. outcomes
- Run a pre-mortem on failure risks
- Add one guardrail for past failures
- Ask “what would prove me wrong?”
Bad Ideas
- Ignore warnings from experts
- Label all criticism as “negativity”
- Announce victory before validation
- Take everything personally, retaliate
- Assume you're an exception to rules
- Bet your reputation on assumptions
- Move the goalposts to stay “right”