Kill Your Pride: An 8-Day Brave Coaches Journeyਨਮੂਨਾ

The Root of All Sin

For professionals, leaders, and men who shoulder big responsibilities, pride is often the silent saboteur in the room. It sneaks into board meetings, team huddles, and even our relationships at home. Pride was humanity’s first sin and continues to be every leader’s greatest fight. Imagine a CEO who always needs to be the smartest guy at the table, never asking for input or admitting he’s wrong—eventually, his company drifts off course because his vision went unchecked. Maybe you've seen it or lived it: the project falls apart not because of poor strategy, but because the leader refused to listen.

The hard truth is—pride is at the root of every other sin and every leadership failure. It tempts us to put our accomplishments or comfort ahead of God's purpose. We start thinking it’s our upbringing, our team, or even external pressures that are our biggest problems. But God says pride is enemy number one. He doesn’t just dislike it; He despises it. Proverbs 8:13 reminds us: “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” As Tim Keller put it, “Pride is the carbon monoxide of sin. It silently and slowly kills you without you even knowing.”

Recognize these pride indicators in your own life:

• Are you constantly steering the conversation back to yourself?
• Do you struggle to empathize with others’ setbacks, or feel deflated if you’re not recognized?
• Is your mind always on how you’re perceived, to the point you avoid men who surpass you in some skill or achievement? Pride finds a million tiny ways to choke off humility.
• Do you easily find flaws in the people around you?

The Brave Truth - God is not out to simply wound your pride—He wants to kill it, because pride destroys the very leadership and legacy you’re called to build.

Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 16:5 adds, “The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” It’s not external criticism that ruins a man, but unaddressed arrogance.

At some point you’ve worked under a manager who never admitted mistakes. When a huge opportunity was lost, he blamed the team, the economy—everyone but himself. The real reason was clear: his unwillingness to collaborate or listen. I’m guessing the organization, and potentially you, paid the price. Leaders, let’s not fall into that trap. Let’s be different.

Action Steps:

• Identify one specific situation this week where you put your own interests, comfort, or opinion above others—or above God’s direction.
• Make a plan to do the opposite: ask for honest feedback, give credit where it’s due, and invite someone else’s input into your next decision or project.
• Hate what God hates. Pray honestly, “God, show me where pride is killing my leadership.”

Reflection Questions:

1. Which pride indicators do you recognize most in your professional or personal life?
2. Who in your circle can you ask to keep you accountable for growing in humility?
3. When was the last time you sincerely admitted you were wrong or let someone else lead?

Take action. Pride quietly suffocates leaders—don’t let it be the unseen killer in your story.