By Shun McGhee
Contributor, Career Services
Kanye West last year described himself as a “creative genius” on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, a comment which, naturally, made him the object of much ridicule. Upon reviewing that interview, I emerged with a question. Are people uncomfortable with someone referring to themselves as a creative genius because they do not believe it is true, or is it because the average person is uncomfortable sharing space with unsolicited confidence? From my perspective, it is the latter. Humility and low self-esteem are often confused, producing an adverse reaction to comments similar to those made by Kanye West.
To prove my hypothesis I want to introduce someone else to the conversation, Kobe Bryant. Kobe has received much of the same criticism and is often referred to as over confident. In addition, there are many similarities between Kanye and Kobe that add a new texture to the conversation surrounding their egos. Both men achieved an enormous amount of success at an early age, in two of the most difficult and competitive fields, professional sports and entertainment. Part of the reason for the difficulty in entering these fields is because they are so far from the beaten career path not much information is available to guide aspiring athletes and entertainers on how break into those fields. As a result, making it in those industries is often considered and attributed to “luck.” Accompanying this school of thought is the large amount of rejection that comes with earning a shot. Rejection in these businesses can be exceptionally cruel, because when people say “the product stinks” they are actually referring to the individual. Imagine the type of resolve it takes to move past people repeatedly saying you are not good enough. At some point you either begin to believe the critics, or you start positively affirming yourself. Overcoming this level of rejection typically produces thicker skin and a heightened self-esteem. It is that kind of self-esteem that allows you to call yourself a genius on national television and win 5 NBA championships.
Ultimately I think there would be less adverse reactions to comments like those made by Mr. West, if people would take more time to discover their own genius and make a decision to feverishly pursue it. Developing your genius may be a catalyst for breaking down age old notions that only wealthy or extremely lucky people have the opportunity to following their dreams. We all are endowed with inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Living out this philosophy is not only life changing, but career altering. The next time you find yourself annoyed by someone you feel is overly confident, do some quick introspection to find out where you are in your genius journey. Ask yourself if you are turned off by their arrogance, or are you intimidated by them exercising their right to believe in themselves?
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