Nothing compares to how an arrogant person makes you feel. The sad truth is there are too many of them around to escape them completely.
Arrogant people succeed in making our everyday lives a living hell. We struggle to retain our sanity and function normally. On most occasions, we can’t avoid interacting with them or retaliate in any manner. So, what can we do about this?
When you suffer at the hands of an arrogant person, it makes you wonder – Is it possible to humble an arrogant person? What are your options for dealing with arrogant people?
You would be happy to know that you can achieve this seemingly impossible task. But, be warned, it is not simple or easy. If you know how to do it, you may have a fair chance of succeeding at dealing with arrogant people.
This article lists plausible ways to humble an arrogant person.
5 tips to humble an arrogant person
Dealing with arrogant people is never easy. They sap you of your energy and make you feel worthless. They steal your confidence and self-respect. It’s only natural that you want to strike back in a way that hurts them the most. What better way to achieve this than by making them feel humble?
Here are some suggestions to your question – How to humble an arrogant person?
1. Build up your confidence level
An arrogant person targets you by exploiting the weak spots in your conviction and attacking your self-respect. It is your insecurity, self-doubt, and lack of confidence that they use to gain control over you.
They find ways to incite you and inhibit your confidence in such a way that you will start doubting your emotions, thoughts, actions, and decisions. You will be reduced to such a pathetic stage that you surrender to their will without any more resistance.
The ideal way to prevent an arrogant person from taking control of you is by developing unshakable confidence in yourself. When you value your worth highly, you will not surrender to another person or let them take over your life.
A cocky person typically digs their claws into you gradually. At each stage, they would be testing how far they can stretch you. If you give in easily to their pressure tactics, they will gain more confidence and victimize you further. This will make them more and more arrogant.
On the other hand, if you resist their advances in the first instance, they may try raising their pressure levels a bit more to see if you will relent. When you put up stiff resistance to their bullying schemes, they may give up on you and move to easier victims.
2. Let your confidence show in your actions
Arrogant people are all talk and no walk. They spread most of their negativity by wagging their tongue. They rarely walk the talk.
So, to counter cocky people, the best plan would be to show them you are better than them in action. Whenever an arrogant person derides you for being not good enough at something, do a better job at this than them. Success, they say, is the sweetest form of revenge.
Instead of engaging them in a verbal duel, you may display through your actions that you are better than them. Actions are irrefutable when compared to words. With such foolproof evidence to demonstrate your superiority over them, they will be forced to acknowledge that you are better than them.
Even if they refuse to accept your superiority, they will back off from tormenting you because you’re fighting back. They prefer easy victims and not the ones who put up strong resistance to their controlling behavior.
3. Let them know that they are hurting you
Often arrogant people continue to wreak havoc in the lives of others because no one bothered to tell them the truth. They may continue to use the same hurtful language and behavior in all they come across in their lives. If their first victim had spoken out, things would have been different.
Better late than never. You may not be able to change the past, but you can always control the future. Tell them how their behavior is affecting you, your life, and your relationships.
However, you need to be careful about this. Or else, it can backfire. Cocky people have nothing to lose and everything to gain when they use hurtful words to cause pain and distress to you. But paying back in the same coin is not recommended.
Instead, try talking to them, explaining how their words are hurting you and your loved ones. Let them know that you appreciate their advice, but it would be more palatable if they express the same thoughts respectfully.
And you can also tell them that each person’s situation is different. Something that they might find easy, might be challenging for you. Also, make them aware of the hardships others face.
4. Make them aware of the impacts of their hurtful behavior
As long as arrogant people think that they can get away with anything they say or do, they will continue to destroy the lives of others. They are the adult version of spoiled brats.
No one bothered to make them aware that everything we do has consequences. You can take this up as your responsibility and prevent them from destroying any more lives.
Just like an adamant or petulant child, they will stop at nothing to get what they want. They want to hear only what they desire or do whatever catches their fancy. If they feel the impulse to say or do something, they will say or do the same without thinking about the consequences.
Patiently tell them that this is not how it works in the real world. If they are not convinced by your words, explain the same with examples. You can conclude by saying that they cannot behave this way to you anymore. You can follow it up by setting boundaries and specifying consequences for their arrogant behavior.
5. Don’t get drawn into their mind games
This person is indeed saying hurtful words and indulging in nasty behavior. This is a game they have perfected to feed their ego and feel happy. Their game plan will succeed only if you react to their arrogant behavior the way they expect you to. You also need to join the show to make it successful for them.
On the other hand, if you refuse to play your part in the drama, their plans will go haywire. Without your participation, their schemes are bound to fail. All the drama, insults, and provocations will come to nothing if you decide not to play along. And, this is what you should do to bring them down on their knees.
Be warned that you may not find it easy to deal with arrogant people. It’s always easier and smooth sailing if you go along with what they expect. Swimming against the tide is hard but that is what you should do to humble an arrogant person.
Some more suggestions to deal with arrogant people
- Don’t reveal too many personal details so that they can use them against you.
- Act in a counterintuitive manner. That would be the last thing an arrogant person would expect from you.
- Tell them about the adverse experience of someone similar to them. This may make them introspect and think twice before hurting again.
- Tell them that their behavior is dull, monotonous, and repetitive.
- Make them realize the folly of their behavior through collusion and intervention. You may get the help of others victims for this.
- Tell them outright that their behavior is rude and arrogant. if they turn defensive, you can cite examples.
- Assert yourself in your interactions with the arrogant person but ensure that you are not aggressive.
- Dig deep to discover the root cause of their arrogant behavior. Offer your help to resolve this issue.
- Step aside and find your own space.
Final thoughts on humbling an arrogant person
Serving an arrogant person the humble pie may be one of the most satisfying experiences you may ever have as their victim.
Insecurity is believed to be the root cause of arrogant behavior. If allowed to take root and flourish, it may take more severe forms like insults and anger. The best way to deal with arrogant people is to show them a mirror. Let them realize their mistakes and change for the better. This has a better chance of success than talking to them directly.
Despite your best efforts, the arrogant person may remain the same. Don’t blame yourself for this. If they continue to be insufferable, stay away from them as much as possible.
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