In Garrison Keillor's Lake Woebegone the little town proudly proclaims that it's the place, "where the women are strong, the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average."

Admit it. You too have the Lake Woebegone Syndrome. The truth is this Lake Woebegone Syndrome probably describes how most of us feel about ourselves. "The Average American thinks he isn't" is how the saying goes. And it's true. The majority of men think they're handsome. The majority of women think they're beautiful. Sixty percent of students think they're in the top 10%. We all tend to get through the day, we all get through life, by believing that somehow we're significantly different, better, more worthy, than those that surround us. We find comfort in overestimating ourselves. Self - deception keeps th…