Feelings of Inferiority & Courage
Have you ever met or known of someone that is extremely successful in their particular craft? They are rewarded and praised and others love and adore what they are able to create. They are incredibly talented - whether this person is a chef, painter, writer, dancer, performer - their creativity is a gift to the world.
But, often even the individual with the most accolades can be heard saying to themselves, I’m still not good enough, or I’ve got to bring my skills to the next level and that sort of thing.
Some may shake their head at this or assume the individual is ungrateful for their success and can never be content.
The truth is feelings of inferiority can be a tremendous kind of launching pad. Of course, it can also hold one back and keep a person stuck in their unhappiness. Not being able to reach one’s ideals, one may harbor a sense of being lesser than.
Either way, however feelings of inferiority manifests is a choice made by each individual. way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
The pursuit of superiority and the feeling of inferiority are the best stimulants to normal, healthy striving and growth.
The truth is everyone is in the ‘condition of wanting to improve’ and that is a good thing. We are all on this earth to progress and grow and improve and often feelings of inferiority are just the motivation needed to continue our journey of expansion.
If a child didn’t have a sense of inferiority he may never attempt to take his first step or learn to walk. It is the feelings of inferiority that motivate him to go from crawling to walking.
One tries to get rid of one’s feelings of inferiority by continuing to move forward and make progress in life. In this sense, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this kind of feeling of inferiority.
There are, however, people who lose the courage to take a single step forward and who cannot accept the fact that their current situation can be changed by making realistic efforts. People who, before doing anything, simply give up and say things like, “I’m not good enough anyway,’ or ‘Even if I tried, I wouldn’t stand a chance,’
What is an Inferiority Complex
Having feelings of inferiority is a condition of feeling some sort of lack in oneself in the present situation. The healthiest way to try to compensate for that lack is through striving and growth. For example, if one assumes they will never be able to get the job they desire they may feel inferior and they then allows these feelings of inferiority to motivate them to get the proper education in order to reach their goals and dreams
However, people who aren’t equipped with that courage end up stepping into an inferiority complex. Rather than allowing their lack of education to be a motivator for growth they use it as an excuse. Saying, “I am not well educated, so I will never be able to succeed.”
Inferiority complex becomes a Superiority Complex
The inferiority complex can also develop into another special state - that of a superiority complex. One is suffering from strong feelings of inferiority and on top of that, one doesn’t have the courage to compensate through healthy modes of striving and growth. One can’t accept one's incapable self and begins to think of trying to compensate in some other fashion and looks for an easier way out. So, they fabricate feelings of superiority.
A superiority complex is often much more obvious to others. One makes a show of being on good terms with powerful people and by doing so, lets it be known that one is special. They may misrepresent their work experience or have an excessive allegiance to particular brands of clothing or only drive a certain model of cars. It isn’t necessarily that this individual feels superior, it is only that one is making themself look superior.
If one really has confidence in oneself, one doesn't feel the need to boast. It’s because one’s feelings of inferiority is strong that one boasts. One feels the need to flaunt one’s superiority all the more. There’s the fear that if one doesn’t do that, not a single person will accept one ‘the way I am’. “The one who boasts does so only out of feeling of inferiority.” -Adler -
Bragging about one’s Misfortunes
Another interesting and complex way in which feelings of inferiority can manifest is when a person uses their misfortune to their advantage and tries to control others with it. The person assumes a boasting manner when talking about their upbringing and the like; the various misfortunes that have rained down upon them. And if someone should try to comfort this person, or suggest some change be made, he’ll refuse the helping hand and say, “you just don’t understand.”
Some people try to make themself ‘special’ by way of their misfortune and try to place themselves above others because of the hardships they have endured. This is demonstrated when an individual identifies with their hardships in life and refuses to learn the necessary lessons from said challenges and courageously take the next step forward in their lives.
By doing that, their position becomes superior to other people’s and they develop a sense of feeling special. Many people try to be a ‘special being’ by adopting this kind of attitude when they are sick, injured or suffering from heartbreak.
They declare how unfortunate they are and how much they have suffered. They try to worry the people around them in an attempt to control them. In this sense, weakness becomes quite strong and powerful.
Of course, it is likely impossible to completely understand the feelings of the person who is suffering and we aren’t fully capable of understanding what they have endured. But, as long as one continues to use one’s misfortunes to one’s advantage in order to be ‘special’, one will always need that misfortune.
In Conclusion
I think it is fair to assume that every individual will have feelings of inferiority at some point in their lives. Those feelings may arise when you don’t get asked on the second date, when you don’t get the promotion at work, when you aren’t able to reach your goals or anytime we don’t meet the ideals we have set for ourselves.
What you do with those feelings of inferiority is what truly matters and in the present moment and has the greatest impact on your future.
The first option - allowing the feelings of inferiority to motivate you towards growth and progression requires a certain degree of courage. Courage to take a step forward to reach outside of one’s comfort zone, to try something different and new. Those that are able to cultivate the courage for change will be able to progress and expand in their lives.
Those that aren’t able to find the courage for growth and striving remain stuck with their feelings of inferiority.
And as we now understand, these feelings of inferiority can become masked behind a superiority complex.
One way in which this is demonstrated is where the person attaches themselves to things and people representative of power and authority.
Another way a superiority complex may manifest is when a person refuses to move on from their hardships and makes themselves appear more ‘special’ than others because of the struggles they have endured in life.