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Pride

By Peter Lloyd

This is the first installment of a series of Right Brain Workouts devoted to the Seven Creative Juices. Using the Seven Deadly Sins as my starting point, I've audaciously re-positioned them as the natural forces that drive creativity, innovation, invention, the arts, and human progress. Today we meet Pride.

Hi! I'm Pride, the first, the foremost, the most powerful of all the Creative Juices. I gave your ancestors their marching orders. I led the parade from ape to human. I inspired Pharaoh to build the Pyramids and Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel.

Almost every scholar who writes about the Seven Deadly Sins puts me at the top of their list. And, I'm proud to say, just like the Seven Deadly Sins, all the other Seven Creative Juices flow from me.

Unfortunately, I've been given a bad name by theologians and writers like Dante. But what do they know? When you get right down to it, I'm your self respect. When you create, it is I who inspires you to do your best. I'm your refusal to be stopped when anyone tries to poo-poo your ideas or criticizes your work. I'm the ecstasy of your creative accomplishments, the delight you take from your inventions, works of art, and everyday innovations.

Only I can get you through those times when the whole world is telling you, "you're no good, it can't be done, it's no use, you're not qualified, it won't fly, it doesn't make sense, I don't get it, you're out of your mind."

I alone can give you the personal fortitude to believe in your own ideas. I stand by you as you stare at the blank page, face the empty canvas, and knock on the door no one has ever opened.

I give athletes the power to visualize victory. I'm the incredible force that drives chess champions to take on computer programs that calculate a million moves a second.

All the great cultures have recognized me as the definition of bravery, advantage, usefulness, and profit.

I'm your sense of accomplishment and don't you forget it!

Without me it's camouflage, body-image problems, hat in hand, "may I, please," victimization, "whatever you say," waiting in line, begging, saying you're sorry, and listing your pet peeves.

Stick with me, pal, and you won't ever regret being yourself. I'll give you whatever you want. Just take Pride in everything you do.

Read all Seven Creative Juices: Pride, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Envy, Anger, and Sloth.

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