“It is just as self-deceptive to discount what is good in us as to justify what is not. This is false humility, which is as hampering as arrogance!” (ODAT, February 5)
The job is to view properly what works and what does not
work.
But morality, etiquette, and tactical competence are skills
deployed in the world, like algebra, or French, or engineering.
If I do well, that does not make me good.
If I do badly, that does not make me bad.
My identity and value are different than my performance.
I must remain detached from the performance to hold onto the identity and value.