Mindset
Pride, Perspective, and the Seven Deadly Sins
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
– Viktor Frankl
This past week, I had one of those milestone moments as a parent, watching my 17-year-old daughter graduate from high school. The word proud rolled off my tongue without hesitation.
Of course, I’m proud. She’s my daughter, and she’s accomplished something meaningful.
But then, that familiar inner voice asked a curious question: Isn’t pride one of the seven deadly sins?
It made me pause. Should I feel proud? Or is there a more grounded emotion to embrace—like fulfillment, or maybe deep satisfaction?
That reflection sent me down a rabbit hole, revisiting the concept of the “seven deadly sins.” Not from a place of religious dogma, but as a cultural compass—a way to think about the ways we might lose our way if we let certain desires or behaviors become our goals rather than our obstacles.
I don’t consider myself religious or conservative, but I do see value in the warning these archetypes offer. When these seven become the pursuit—not the cautionary tale—they reveal our collective unraveling.
Look around.
Lust — Pornography is more accessible than ever, and many are quietly consumed by it. The same goes for our endless lust for wealth: we bet on anything and everything now, from fantasy sports to crypto memes.
Gluttony — The stats are staggering. In Canada, 35% of the population is overweight and nearly 30% is obese. In the U.S., that number climbs to 45%—more than 150 million people. Consumption, unchecked.
Pride — Social media has turned influence into currency. We chase likes, not love. Our self-worth is too often tethered to attention and applause.
Sloth — Everyone wants the shortcut, the overnight success, the viral moment. We reward the outcome, not the integrity behind it. Hustle is confused with value.
Wrath — Open your phone. Wrath is everywhere—on the news, in the comments, across your feed. Outrage is the new engagement metric.
Greed — It used to be about becoming a millionaire. Then a billionaire. Now we await the first trillionaire, while entire countries spiral into debt. There’s no ceiling to “more.”
Envy — And if we don’t have what they have, we judge. We compare. We resent. We weaponize our lack against those who seem to “have it all.”
We are drifting. Our compass has become external—calibrated by what others have, what they think, how they appear. The rudder is gone, and we’re tossed around by every new wave of wants.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
We reclaim our direction by turning inward. By recognizing that our value doesn’t lie in what we achieve or accumulate, but in who we become—through growth, humility, and conscious creation.
The search for meaning isn’t out there.
It’s in here.
Look within. Find fulfillment in your path, not just your outcomes. And enjoy the beautiful, chaotic, imperfect spectacle of being human.
