Our Fatal Flaw - And What This Has To Do With Ron Schuler

 

So, that is me and my bff Alison Kreviazuk.  Well, in my mind, we are bffs.  In her mind, I am just some crazy lady she met at a pool who wasn't going away until I got a selfie with her.  In actuality, I think she tolerated me quite well for three days that we spent pool side together.  I think she was impressed with my knowledge of curling and didn't mind talking to a true student of the game.  I think she got used to the fact that I knew more about her than she would have liked me to know.  She started to use my fanaticism to work to her advantage because I would be her runner for things like food and drink.  I also became her screener for other fanatics who wanted access to her.  If they couldn't get past me, they weren't getting to her.  

Anyway, like I said, our perceptions of each other were probably pretty different.  

That is usually the case.  Our perceptions of ourselves are usually quite different from others.  That is more often than not our fatal flaw.  

I got advice about this early in my career.  I was in love with a job that I thought was in love with me back.  It might have been true but it wasn't unconditional love.  A mentor told me that when I left, no one would remember me 15 minutes after I left. It was harsh at the the time, but, as time has gone by, I realize that it is fabulous advice for everyone.  

People always overestimate their value to a job.  The latest person to do that was Ron Schuler, the insignificant minister of infrastructure.  I believe he honestly thought he was so important, that the people who valued "personal private health information" that he was going to be such a beacon of "privacy" that people were going to rally behind him and the Premier would beg him to be a Member of the Cabinet.  Not only did that happen, his ousting barely made the front page.  He basically begged the Premier to call his bluff for months and she finally did.  I think he was surprised.  His flaw was that he overestimated his importance.  

This is done all the time.  Look how well it has worked out for Evander Kane.  Look how well it has worked out for casino poker players in Manitoba.  "They will never close poker because they value my business too much."  And on, and on.  

It is wonderful to have self-esteem.  In my case, my self-esteem allows me to approach celebrity curlers and discuss the game and beg for gossip.  But, time and time again, excess self-esteem leads to us having an over inflated version of ourselves in our heads leads to being our fatal flaw.  

Check your privilege.  Put yourself in persepctive.  Kids are wonderful to help with this.  

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