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The double-edged sword is a metaphorical expression which describes a situation that illustrates that it can cut both ways, bringing about either positive or negative outcomes.

We've witnessed the meteoric rise of numerous icons across various fields, who've transcended humble beginnings to achieve unparalleled success. However, we've also seen many of these luminaries fall down often as a direct result of their inability to handle the very success they had worked so hard to attain.

We all know about the Titanic, the British passenger liner. On the 10th of April 1912, the Titanic set sail from the port of Southampton in England to New York with 2224 people on board on its maiden voyage. The height of the ship was 175'.

Amidst so much hype and cheer from those who designed the ship, to the manufacturer, to its captain, its first officer, the crew, the passengers in the ship and all those who had come to cheer the ship on its maiden voyage were convinced that the ship was sturdy and could weather any storm or turbulence in the sea, thereby making it the most invincible ship on water.

Five days later, the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg on the 15th of April. More than 1500 people lost their lives from a ship which people thought was invincible!

There was so much pride built into everyone, including the captain, who thought that the ship would get past the iceberg without him having to change direction! Pride happens before a fall.

We all know the music band called The Beatles, the English rock band from Liverpool. John Lennon, one of the musicians in The Beatles, said, "No one, even Christ, is as famous as us." So much pride, and exactly a year later, they were gone...

Tancredo Neves, the former leader of Brazil, said, "If I win 500,000 votes, even God cannot shake me from being the first civilian President of Brazil." He did win the election after getting the 500,000 votes and was to be sworn in as the President, but he died the day before the swearing-in due to certain intestinal diseases.

The strength of pride must eventually surrender to the power of humility. Another perfect example of this has to be Saddam Hussein in Iraq. All he had to do was let the UN inspectors complete the investigation of weapons of mass destruction, which would never be found.

He could have then easily retained full control of his corrupt empire. But pride got in his way. He had to show the world that he could stand up and defy the strongest countries in the world. When pride comes, clarity of thinking goes for a toss. He lost his empire in just a matter of days. He literally went from the most lavish, expensive quarters to the bottom of a hole in the ground.

We are talking of someone falling from the highest mountain as the ruler of a big country to the lowest depths to which anyone can fall in life—behind the bars of a jail, losing his freedom, his wealth, and his family and friends.

The message is to have humility.