I recently stumbled across a quote I had scribbled down at some point in my life, buried in a note, between grocery lists and half-baked blog titles:

“A narrow mind and a fat head invariably come on the same person.”
— Zig Ziglar

Wait, what?

I blinked. Then blinked again. Had I written this during a particularly spicy Zoom meeting? Was I talking about someone in particular? Why did I jot this down? Who was I mad at? Or inspired by? The mystery is delicious.

First of all, I had to look up Zig Ziglar again. I vaguely remembered he was a motivational speaker, but this quote doesn’t exactly scream “rah-rah, go team!” It’s got more bite than bubblegum. It’s the kind of quote you mutter under your breath when someone at a meeting “just has questions” for the fifteenth time — the kind of person who manages to take up the most space while offering the least substance.

Let’s break it down:
A narrow mind: rigid, unimaginative, allergic to nuance.

A fat head: inflated ego, loud opinions, perhaps the spiritual cousin of the peacock in the room.

Together? A dangerous combo. Think cartoon villain energy with a LinkedIn profile that reads like a satire piece. Possibly a superhero nemesis whose power is smugness.

But here’s the thing, and maybe this is why I kept the quote, it’s a reminder. A reminder to stay open. To be flexible. To not let confidence morph into arrogance, and not let focus shrink into tunnel vision. To deflate the ego when necessary and inflate the mind when possible.

Maybe Zig was on to something. Or maybe I was just venting. Either way, if you ever find yourself becoming both narrow-minded and big-headed just pause. And, maybe go row a metaphorical sailboat or take a nap.

So here’s to wide minds, balanced heads, and not becoming someone’s quote scribbled angrily into the margins of a notebook.