5 signs that you’re more selfish than you think

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Selfish behavior is usually not well received. Sometimes, we may not even realize that we are acting selfishly in a situation, and sometimes, we may do it deliberately. Ask yourself, “Hmm, what’s it like for me? Am I really selfish?” You can review our checklist and determine whether or how many selfish traits you have—and possibly work on them.

What is selfish behavior?
Egoism comes from the Latin “ego,” which means “I.” Egoism can, therefore, be translated as selfishness or self-centeredness. The Duden dictionary describes egoism as the “striving to gain advantages for oneself, to fulfill one’s own personal desires without regard to the demands of others.” Therefore, an egotistical person only has their own advantage and benefit in mind. They have little regard for others and always put themselves first.

But is that necessarily negative? No! In some situations, it can be an advantage, and you SHOULD see yourself as a priority. For example, when it comes to (mental) health. So selfishness is not necessarily only negative—it shouldn’t get out of hand. But when is it too much? There are some typical behaviours by which you can directly recognize selfish people. So, if you recognize yourself in all of them, maybe it’s time to rethink your behaviour in some situations and be more considerate of your fellow human beings.

1. You don’t let others finish speaking! Would you say that you are a communicative person? But look at your conversations from the outside. How do they usually go? Could it be that you rarely let others finish? If you interrupt the person you’re talking to, that’s a sign of egotistical behaviour.

2. Mistakes? With you? Absolutely not! If you think so, it’s a clear sign of selfishness. Because we are all only human and naturally make mistakes! Normally, addressing these and learning a lesson from them should be possible. Do you always tend to blame others? Try to work on that.

3. Do you always find yourself strategically putting together your circle of friends and only looking out for your own advantage? Egoists like to surround themselves with people who are similar to them. That way, they don’t have to worry about facing opposition. This, in turn, boosts their self-confidence. But choosing your loved ones based on chance and emotion is even nicer.
4. Do you know this? You talk a lot and demand that everyone listens to you. But when someone else talks about themselves, you switch off completely and show zero interest? Egotists prefer to hear themselves talk. Work on communicating with your counterpart at eye level.
5. No matter what you do, it’s always excellent. But do you always find something that isn’t perfect in others? Then that’s exactly what you say. And you do it to make yourself feel better. Unfortunately, this behaviour doesn’t go down well, and you’d be better off suppressing it.
Do these things apply to you?
Do you recognize yourself in many points? Then maybe it’s time to work on your behaviour, emotional intelligence, and empathy. Otherwise, it can quickly happen that your loved ones turn away from you in the worst-case scenario.