Blizz, I'm not doubting what you are saying about yourself. I'm referring to a self-redefinition, which you probably have never had, because you are so focused and confident. A self-redefinition is when someone redefines their self changes their personality and their core beliefs. It's not something that happens very often, and it doesn't always have to be large scale, but when it is, lots of things change, including what defines you. And in this situation, certain things that you once used to define yourself are no longer relevant. It's not that you forget they ever happened. They just don't matter anymore.
So, back to earlier, the more you think about something, the more you will use it to define yourself. And by putting these guys in your game, you are letting them play a larger role in defining you than if you didn't include them.