Look how Hashem tells Noach to his face: “You are a Tzaddik”, and: “You are better than your generation”. How much energy it gives a person when he is told that he is a superior human vs. others who are not. People who know nothing but: מְאֹד מְאֹד הֱוֵי שְפַל רוּחַ אבות ד ד “Be a big Anav” can’t understand something like this, and consider it Ga’ava. They don’t understand that “basic of basics” is feeling how special you are in the eyes of Hashem! You can’t even begin to be a true Anav until you recognize your true Maalos. (Chovos Halvavos beginning of Shaar HaK'niya).
Avraham Avinu was told by Hashem that he is the superior of all three Avos! בְךָ חוֹתְמִין We conclude (the first Bracha of Shmoneh Esrei) with you, and not with your son Yitzchok or your grandson Yaakov. (Gemara). And Ahron HaCohen was told: שֶלְךָ גְדוֹלָּה מִשֶלָּהֶן “Your portion is better than theirs”, i.e., you are greater than all the Nesi'im! He especially needed to hear this, since he had חַלִישוּת הַדַעַת distress, and he felt left out! How much more would we accomplish if we gave ourselves a periodic boost, claiming ourselves to be superior to all our competitors!
