The Kind of Friend Everyone Needs | Simon Sinek

The speaker emphasizes the importance of having at least one person in your life to confide in during difficult times, someone who can "hold space" for you when you're depressed, angry, or simply need to vent. They observe that the number of people we can call to share our successes and celebrate achievements is significantly smaller than those we can call with our problems. This disparity, the speaker suggests, is linked to trust. Holding space for someone's success without jealousy or envy, and celebrating them with genuine pride, is presented as even more challenging than supporting them through hardship. An anecdote is shared about a successful friend who confides in no one about their accomplishments, keeping their successes a secret. The speaker argues for the importance of self-celebration as a confidence booster, enabling us to acknowledge our own achievements. They question whether we want children, colleagues, or those we lead to be able to celebrate themselves and be excited about their accomplishments. While acknowledging the desire to avoid arrogance, the speaker distinguishes between a healthy ego – the belief in one's own goodness – and an unhealthy ego, which is the belief of being superior to others. Ultimately, the speaker believes that a healthy human being expresses a range of emotions, and denying oneself the opportunity to express them means missing out on a fuller human experience.