The Chovos Halvavos says that Middas Hish'tavus, i.e., where you don’t care if people love you or hate you, is Tachlis HaChamudos, the most desirable Midda. Perhaps this is why Yosef wasn’t Nichshal in: תֶשֵׁא דֹמְחַת אֹל ˃ֶעֵר די כ ורתי desiring another person’s wife (the wife of Potiphar), since he had the truest of desires, Middas Hish'tavus. No matter how low you may feel like a “captive” in a world of tremendous pressure to make impressions on others, you can remember Yosef and Avraham Avinu, and realize our own unique Maalos and build yourself up.
If you are an: ַע ְק ָשׁ ן (stubborn person), then the day will come that you can be in a sense a: ַשׂ ָנוֹדֲאַל ר וי princes over your master, since everyone has qualities that even the greatest Gedolim don’t have. We are a: תֶכֶלְמַמ םיִנֲהֹכּ nation of princes. The Yetzer Hara makes you spend a lifetime delving on all those areas that you are inferior to others, and there goes all that lost potential.
There was a 10th grade Rebbe in Lakewood who observed that each Bachur in the end turns out the way he sees himself. If you think you’re a Gadol, and keep being an: ַע ְק ָשׁ ן (stubborn) about constantly seeing your Maalos you will grow much more and acquire more and more Kochos, with Hashem’s help.
