I need to "come back down to earth" as they say. I walk around pretending I'm really special. I do have many signature traits that would be outliers in society, but I have at least five times as many traits where I'm really just average .

I think part of the reason I have trouble taking criticism well or why I am arrogant is because I act like I'm somebody and expect to be treated like napoleon.

So, here's what I'm doing right now.

I have a list of about 40 traits that I'm neutral on (helpfulness, sensitivity, optimism, neurotic, honesty... etc..) and then I pick someone who is much worse in that trait than me, and then pick someone much better than me. Then, I take each of those individuals and myself (that's three people total) and try to mentally manifest the trait as it is in those three individuals. The point is that by comparison, I'll genuinely feel like I am "in the middle"--that I am an average person on that trait.

A benefit of this exercise is that it will make me appreciate my superiors more, while giving me mercy and compassion for those worse off.

This kind of thinking, of realistic modesty, will also make me more willing to work with groups. Instead of thinking that I can do everything and pilot the ship, I'll focus more on tapping the synthetic group strengths.