In the teachings of Don Juan Matus, the Yaqui sorcerer and spiritual guide from Carlos Castaneda’s books, self-importance is the greatest enemy of a warrior. It is the false sense of personal grandeur that distorts perception, drains energy, and keeps humans trapped in a cycle of suffering.

For those seeking freedom, awareness, and true power, the path begins with the ruthless dismantling of self-importance.

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What Is Self-Importance?

According to Don Juan, self-importance is the obsessive preoccupation with one’s own image, needs, and personal drama. It is the belief that:

• “I am the center of the universe.”
• “My problems are more significant than anyone else’s.”
• “I must be recognized, validated, and treated with special consideration.”

Self-importance is not confidence or self-respect—it is an illusion of grandeur that feeds the ego while weakening the spirit.

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How Self-Importance Controls Our Lives

1. It Wastes Energy

Don Juan taught that humans have a limited amount of personal power (energy). Self-importance drains this power by making us obsess over:

• What others think of us.
• Defending our image.
• Seeking approval and avoiding humiliation.

A warrior, in contrast, conserves energy by remaining indifferent to praise or insult.

2. It Clouds Perception

When we believe we are the most important thing in existence, we distort reality. We interpret everything through the lens of our ego, missing deeper truths.

Don Juan said:

“Self-importance makes everything about ‘me.’ But the universe couldn’t care less about your personal drama.”

3. It Keeps Us Trapped in Fear

Fear is the shadow of self-importance. We fear:

• Being disrespected.
• Losing status.
• Appearing weak or foolish.

This fear makes us controllable—by society, by others, and by our own mental constructs.

4. It Blocks True Freedom

A person ruled by self-importance cannot be free. They are always:

• Reacting to slights.
• Seeking validation.
• Defending their fragile self-image.

A warrior, however, erases self-importance and thus becomes impeccable—untouchable by petty concerns.

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How to Lessen Self-Importance (The Warrior’s Way)

1. Practice Stopping the Internal Dialogue

Don Juan taught that the mind’s endless chatter reinforces self-importance. By practicing silence (through meditation or mindful detachment), we break its hold.

2. Adopt the Perspective of Death

“Death is the only wise advisor we have.” — Don Juan

Remembering that death is always near strips away trivial concerns. Ask:

• “Will this matter on my deathbed?”
• “Is this worth my limited time on Earth?”

3. Lose the Need to Be Right

Self-importance thrives on being correct, winning arguments, and proving superiority. A warrior lets go of the need to win and instead seeks clarity, not dominance.

4. Embrace Humility (Not Self-Deprecation)

Humility is not thinking less of yourself—it is thinking of yourself less. A warrior acts without needing credit.

5. See Yourself as a Tiny Part of Infinity

Don Juan urged his apprentices to “take their rightful place as nothing and everything.” When you realize you are a speck in the cosmos, yet also part of its vastness, self-importance evaporates.

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The Freedom Beyond Self-Importance

When self-importance weakens:

• Energy is reclaimed (no longer wasted on ego battles).
• Perception sharpens (you see reality, not just your reflection in it).
• Fear dissolves (you are no longer ruled by others’ opinions).
• True power emerges (you act from intent, not insecurity).

Don Juan’s final lesson on this was simple:

“The hardest thing in the world is to assume the mood of a warrior. It is of no use to be sad and complain and feel justified in doing so, believing that someone is always doing something to us. Nobody is doing anything to anybody, much less to a warrior.”

The Challenge

For one week, observe every thought and action fueled by self-importance. Then let it go. The world will not collapse—instead, you will begin to see with the eyes of a warrior.

The choice is yours: Live as a prisoner of your ego, or break free into the infinite.