Most of what I do in life is in order for me to be considered successful by others and I don't trust my own judgment of my success. How do I know if I'm delusional or not without feedback of others?
Taken to an extreme, yes, it’s possible you suffer from narcissism. There are also many other forms of the pattern, a common one is impostor syndrome. Speaking from experience, it can present a lot like narcissism (seeking external validation and even self-aggrandizement as a coping mechanism). But it can also subside when enough external validation is established to enable self-validation. If you need external validation for things that are unfamiliar or unproven, but you’re able to self-validate as your comfort level rises, it’s probably something more like that. If you continue to need external validation after you’ve reached enough comfort and certainty on the thing that bears validation, there may be more going on.
