Pride is nothing else (as the learned say) but love of thy own excellency, that is, of thy own worship. The more thou lovest and likest thine own honour, the more thou hast of this pride; the more thou hast of this image in thee. If thou feel in thy heart a stirring of pride, that thou art holier, wiser, better and more virtuous than others, that God hath given thee grace to serve Him better than others do, and thinkest all others beneath thee, and thyself above them, or any other thought of thyself, which showeth to the eye of thy soul an excellency and a surpassing of others, and thou feelest a love and delight in this stirring, and a vain pleasing in thyself, that indeed thou art so; this is a token that thou bearest this black image, which, though it be privy from the eyes of men, yet it appeareth openly in God’s sight. (John Climacus)

I have some of this pride, but this seems less-troublesome than another sort. Though, I suppose, one might be an outgrowth of the other.

There are matters on which - or moments when - I perceive myself wiser, better, and more virtuous than others. But this is transitory and does not define my relationship with others.

More troublesome is a tendency to self-assertion for external validation. I would like to be seen by others as wiser, better, and more virtuous. And these "others" do not necessarily include God.

My sin-of-pride has its source in the direct opposite of a "vain pleasing in thyself." I am not pleased in myself, which drives me to please others, or perhaps more accurately, to want others to be pleased with me.

I seek wisdom, goodness, and virtue, but not for their own sake, but as self-adornment.