Youâve met them, right? The person who walks into a room like theyâve just won an Oscar, ready for a standing ovationâexcept, wait⊠they havenât actually done anything worthy of the applause. Thatâs a grandiose narcissist for you: a walking, talking human-sized ego balloon, puffed up and ready to burst!
Theyâre the type to believe the world revolves around them, with a level of self-importance that can only be described as âlarger than life.â But, don’t be fooledâjust because they act like royalty doesnât mean theyâre untouchable. They may have the charisma of a celebrity, but their tactics are often more underhanded than a late-night infomercial pitch.
In this post, weâre diving into 20 signs that scream “Grandiose Narcissist.” Whether you’re navigating the workplace or avoiding them in your social circles, you’ll want to know how to spot the signs. Letâs get started. đ”ïžââïž
1. They Think They’re a Modern-Day Superstar đ
Grandiose narcissists genuinely believe theyâre the oneâthe best at everything they do, from their professional career to their choice of pizza toppings. Theyâll compare themselves to celebrities, historical figures, or even fictional characters, leaving you to wonder if they were born with their own spotlight.
2. They Over-exaggerate Achievements đ
Expect to hear about their âonce-in-a-lifetimeâ accomplishments that sound too good to be true. Like, how they “single-handedly saved an entire company” or âwrote a best-selling novelâ without ever actually mentioning it. Their stories will always sound a little⊠embellished.
3. They Need Constant Admiration (Like, All the Time) đ
They canât go 10 minutes without being the center of attention. And when theyâre not receiving applause, theyâre either sulking or engineering their next big moment of glory. If youâre around them, get used to being in a non-stop “Look at me!” show.
4. Their “Humblebrags” Are a Full-Time Job đ€
Theyâll say things like, âI donât mean to brag, but I was just asked to give a TED talkâŠâ Meanwhile, theyâve never even been invited to a local library reading event. Humblebragging is an art form theyâve perfected.
5. They Feel Entitled to Special Treatment đ
Walk into any restaurant, and they expect to be seated in the VIP sectionâeven if itâs a Tuesday night and the place is empty. Rules? They donât apply to them. Their sense of entitlement is like a VIP pass to the world. Enjoy the rideâif you can keep up!
6. Everything Is About ThemâAlways đ
Conversations? Centered on them. Stories? You guessed itâabout their lifeâs âimportantâ moments. Your weekend trip to the beach? Not relevant. Their weekend trip to the moon? Now thatâs what theyâll be telling everyone about.
7. They Think They Can Control Every Situation đź
Their need for control is overwhelming. Whether itâs a group project or a family dinner, the grandiose narcissist is convinced their way is the only way. Theyâll always assert themselves as the “expert” in any situation, even if itâs completely out of their depth.
8. They Believe They’re Exceptionally Unique đŠ
To them, everyone else is just a backdrop to their greatness. Theyâll claim that no one truly understands them because theyâre so âspecialâ (Spoiler: theyâre not). These individuals live in a world where only a select few are worthy of sharing space with them.
9. They “Just Happened” to Be in the Right Place at the Right Time đ„
Their success is never really earned, right? According to them, they just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Itâs not about their talent, skill, or hard workânope, itâs all about sheer luck. Cue the eye roll. đ€Šââïž
10. They Feel Like They Deserve Unquestionable Respect đŻ
Respect is something that should be earned, but not in their world. To them, itâs just givenâno questions asked. Why? Because, well, theyâre amazing. You should bow down to their awesomeness just because they exist. đââïž
11. They Can’t Handle Criticism (Like, At All) âïž
A simple “Hey, you might want to tweak this” will have them flying off the handle. Grandiose narcissists take any form of criticism as a personal attack. Better prepare for an emotional explosionâor, you know, some gaslighting if theyâre feeling particularly devious.
12. Theyâll Cut You Off If You Stop Admiring Them âïž
Their friendships are conditionalâif you stop feeding their ego, youâre cut off. The second you stop providing admiration and validation, watch how quickly theyâll turn on you like a switch. Friendships built on narcissism? Never lasting.
13. They Constantly Compare Themselves to Others (And Always Win) đ„
Expect them to compare their accomplishments to everyone elseâs and always come out on top. âOh, that guy wrote a book? I wrote three books AND solved climate change, all before breakfast.â Yeah⊠okay.
14. They Are the Self-Proclaimed “Visionary” of Everything đ
In their eyes, theyâre a visionary who sees things that others canât. Every idea they have is ârevolutionary,â even though itâs just a regular thought that anyone could have. But, in their world? Theyâre the first to invent sliced bread.
15. They Never Apologize (Because, Clearly, They’re Always Right) đ ââïž
Admitting fault? Pfft. Theyâd rather walk across a field of Legos barefoot than apologize. Itâs not in their DNA. They believe their greatness exempts them from ever needing to say, âIâm sorry.â
16. Theyâll Tell You Theyâre ‘Too Busy’ for Anything, But Itâs Just About Them đââïž
Theyâre “so busy” saving the world, writing their autobiography, or being a visionary that they donât have time for your birthday party. But, funny enough, theyâll post it all over social media, acting like theyâre so important. đ
17. Their Self-Image is Untouchable (Even When Itâs Obviously Not) đŒïž
No matter how many times you point out flaws in their behavior, theyâll refuse to see them. In their mind, theyâre untouchableâlike a flawless diamond. Well, maybe more like a diamond with a few cracks, but hey, whoâs counting?
18. They “Know People” (And Name-Drop Like Itâs an Olympic Sport) đ
Who do they know? Only everyone. Theyâll casually mention that they âspoke to this person at a galaâ or âhad dinner with a senator last weekââin reality, they just passed someone in the elevator and nodded awkwardly.
19. Theyâre Masters of the âI Donât Have Time for Small Talkâ Routine âł
Theyâll make you feel like youâre wasting their precious time, simply by being interested in casual chit-chat. But the moment the conversation turns to their achievements? You better buckle up for a full presentation. đ€
20. They Think They Can Do No Wrong (Even When They’re Clearly Wrong) đ«
When they screw up, theyâll find a way to convince you itâs actually your fault. Never admitting to a mistake, grandiose narcissists have perfected the art of shifting blame. Your confusion? Thatâs just you being âtoo sensitive.â
Conclusion: Donât Let Their Ego Overwhelm Your Own
Itâs easy to get swept up in the charm and confidence of a grandiose narcissist, but remember: Their world revolves around them, not you. Stay grounded, trust your instincts, and donât be afraid to set boundaries with people who believe theyâre above everyone else. After all, no oneâs ego should be bigger than your own self-worth! đđȘ