Eddie Hall has never been one to shy away from uncomfortable truths, and in a refreshingly candid moment on his own podcast – The Good, The Bad, and The Beast – the former World’s Strongest Man revealed the instant he realised he might not just have an ego, but a textbook case of narcissism.
Speaking with reigning WSM champion Mitchell Hooper, the pair dove into the topic of mental health, ego, and the price of success at the top of strength sports. What started as a discussion about personality traits soon turned deeply personal for Hall.
“Have you had any research on narcissism?” Hall asked Hooper. “Not saying you’ve got it, but narcissism is a really good talking subject for, like, super successful people.”
When Hooper invited him to elaborate, Hall explained how the topic hit home in an unexpected way. Hall said: “So, narcissism stems from people — you know — basically a person becomes so overconfident in himself and thinks he’s so much better than everybody else.
“He believes in himself so much, and basically, you have these unbelievable high expectations, and you’re willing to do and say and use and abuse anything to get to that point. That’s what — basically — what narcissism is.”
Then came the revelation. “Someone called me a narcissistic pr**k on Facebook,” Hall admitted. “And I looked it up and I was like… and it really hit home. Yeah. It really hit home while I was reading all the traits of a narcissist and I was like, ‘F***ing hell… this is — I’m a f***ing full-blown narcissist. This is really bad.’”
Hooper, intrigued, began reading off the list of narcissistic traits from his phone — starting with “grandiosity,” a sense of being more important, special, or talented than others.
“Check. Yep,” Hall replied immediately.
Next came “need for admiration — constant craving, validation, attention, or recognition.”
“Yeah, check,” Hall admitted again. “It’s more like you have to achieve these stupid great big things so you’ve got the validation, you’ve got the admiration. It’s all a part—this is why a lot of successful people have narcissism ’cause they’re so desperate to be successful.”
Hooper continued down the list. “Sense of entitlement.”
“I think so, yeah,” said Hall. “We all abide by the rules, but I will always push the boundaries. I feel — you know — if you’re not meant to be smoking a cigar somewhere, I’ll spark a cigar. Test the boundaries.”
When Hooper read the next point — “exploitiveness: using others to achieve personal goals without regard for their feelings” — Hall paused before offering one of the podcast’s most honest moments.
“So you say that, but then we actually sit back and I think about things like… and look, I don’t want to say this in the wrong way, but, like… my wife, for instance, right? She has been an absolute godsend to me — like, washed and cleaned, you know, does all the washing, the cleaning, the housework, the cooking, the everything,” he said.
“And I had no regard for that whatsoever. And I can sit here now as an honest man and look back and be like, ‘Yeah, I full-on used and abused my wife for my own gain.’ But I feel like we were both on the same team. Like, we were both on this journey together. She was so desperate to support me to become the World’s Strongest Man. But yeah, I’m looking back and it was like… yeah, I wasn’t really — wasn’t very nice about that, you know. It was like I expected it.”
When Hooper asked whether that drive was purely personal, Hall didn’t hesitate. “I would have done anything to win the World’s Strongest Man,” he said. “I was so desperate for it and—and—and like, you know, like the traits say, you’re willing to use and abuse and do whatever you can to get to that top.”
But for Hall, the most important part wasn’t the confession — it was the recognition. “Well, I think the important thing for me is I’ve recognised it,” he reflected. “It made me step back and think, ‘F***, I am a little bit.’ […] And I think a big step of narcissism is you see that — this might hit home — as you read all that and you go, ‘No, no, that’s not me.’ And that’s narcissism.”
“It’s like you’ve got to be very open and be like… I had to sit back in a room on my own and be like, ‘Yep. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.’ And I was like, ‘F***, I’ve got to change my ways.’”
Fans React: “That’s Serious Strength Right There”
The clip quickly made waves online, with fans praising Hall for his honesty and self-awareness. One comment read: “You know what? There’s nothing harder than looking at yourself and saying ‘I need to change my ways.’ That’s serious strength right there. Pure love for both these two amazing human beings!”
Another added: “Love to see it. Understanding psychological issues is a key element in growth.”
“We are all human and not perfect,” said a third. “It’s a learning process.”
Others pointed out the broader truth in Hall’s reflection. “I think most men do expect women to take on the domestic role at home. Eddie isn’t alone in that. The important thing is acknowledging the work and effort your partner puts in and making sure she knows how loved and appreciated she is for all she does.”
And one fan summed up the fine line that often defines greatness: “There is a level of narcissism that is required to be great amongst all others. If you want to stand above everyone else in a thing, you typically need to do so alone. You and other WSM winners have always talked about how it isn’t just a game — it’s obsession.”
Check out the full episode below:
For Hall, though, it’s not about perfection anymore — it’s about progress. The self-proclaimed “Beast” may have conquered the world’s strongest title, but now he’s tackling something far tougher: looking inward.
Featured image credit: Instagram/EddieHallWSM/goodbadbeast (screenshot)
