Everyone is a little selfish. Experts say being a little selfish is healthy. Well-adjusted humans learn to deal with it when they become adults.

As a result, some people display more egocentrism than others. You may have a friend who takes care of himself more than most. How do you know if he or she just crossed the line to become a narcissist? Before getting answers to this question, you first need to understand the difference between selfishness, egocentrism, and narcissism.

What is arrogant behavior?

A good start to uncover the differences between the three characteristics is to take a closer look at each of them. The first is selfishness.

Identifying traits of selfish behavior is a tendency to talk about oneself all the time and a lack of humility. It also manifests itself in other ways.

1. Win an argument
   First of all, this means wanting to win the debate all the time. Arrogant people rarely admit their mistakes or defer to someone else. They will become cranky when someone proves that they are more knowledgeable than they are.
2. Caring about the opinions of others
   Being concerned about other people’s feelings and thoughts is always a good thing. Having said that, selfish people give worry about them a negative role. They worry about not seeing others in a positive light all the time. Being the first on everyone’s mind is a top priority
3. Reclaiming the past
   Another behavioral feature of egoists is reliving the past. They love to hold on to their glory moments. If they succeed in a talent show or are promoted, you will hear about it over and over again.
4. Feeling offended by criticism
   Also, criticism tends to hurt the egoist quickly. They believe they are superior to others, so it is never wise to challenge that notion when speaking to one.
5. Feeling possessive
   And then, egoists are jealous of their possessions. They hate people who touch their belongings. Other egoists will not like to talk much with their significant other.
6. Feeling disconnected from everyone else
   Because of their superiority complex, selfish people sometimes feel that something sets them apart from everyone else.

Narcissism: conceited and more

You have discovered that your friend is unusually selfish. With our jargon flooding in, how will you know if he or she is a narcissist or just an egoist? People often use the two words interchangeably. Understanding the traits of a narcissist may help you identify the difference between the two types of behavior.

It is also good to note that diagnosing a narcissist is difficult because the line between these characteristics is blurred. The researchers surveyed by asking, “To what extent do you agree with the question, ‘I am a narcissist? The study showed that people fall on the spectrum of narcissism, but it cannot be considered a diagnostic tool.

First of all, narcissists fantasize and have a sense of grandeur. They are obsessed with their brilliance, their strength, or their image. And they don’t have anything to be happy about most of the time. Conversely, egoists may not have these fantasies, despite their subjective importance.

Vanity feels superior. Narcissists take it a step further and get caught up in themselves. While egoists want people to like them, narcissists have an excessive need for others to praise them. They shower themselves with affection and expect others to do the same.

Moreover, narcissists love to show off. Arrogant people don’t necessarily like to do the same. They may have a sense of shame, unlike narcissists. While some egoists prefer low-key behavior, narcissists should let everyone know about themselves and their good qualities.

While narcissists take advantage of others, egoists may not. A person with a large ego may think they are a cut above the rest but may not necessarily step on their toes due to false superiority.

When is a person selfish?

So what is selfish? Everyone is selfish sometimes. It indicates a limited view of the world, in which a person focuses only on his needs. A selfish person may become obsessed with them.

Egocentric people often show a lack of empathy for others. They cannot see things from a different point of view than their own.

Another feature of this behavior is the “imaginary audience”. Egocentric people often imagine how friends will react to them. The classic example is the music-minded teens who are obsessed with rock stars. They often see themselves playing the guitar in front of a large crowd.

Also, egocentric people tend to prejudge what people think and are often wrong. They’ll go to the restaurant assuming it’s the place to meet because you always go there. You will need to indicate meeting times and locations when making arrangements with them. Self-centeredness can cause people to make embarrassing social mistakes.

How is this different from selfishness and narcissism? Self-centered people don’t have to be inflated. Although they focus on their own needs and actions, they may not be manipulative about others or have grandiose visions of themselves. They may stay in their world but they are not always arrogant.

What is the difference between selfishness, selfish behavior, and narcissism?
So, what is the difference between narcissism, selfish behavior, and selfishness?

Being arrogant means having the idea that one is better than everyone else. An egoist may not resort to manipulation or fantasy. They may not have great visions.

Narcissists go a step further and fantasize about being in positions of grandeur or power. Also, the narcissist may resort to psychological tricks to get what he wants. All narcissists are egoists, while not all egoists are narcissists.

Being selfish is focusing on self-fulfilling behavior. An egocentric person may not necessarily possess a huge ego. He may not have great visions either, although he is very self-centered.