Dec. 12, 2023
Read time: 2 minutes and 1 seconds.
tags:Ego is a double-edged sword, boosting confidence but also sparking conflict. There’s a tricky balance to be found with ego and i’m constantly trying to find the sweet spot. But I think that’s the point of ensuring yours is healthy but not too extensive. Ego can help, but it can hurt.
Ego fuels motivation and decision-making. This is especially helpful if you’re a decisive individual or one that isn’t so decisive and looking for a way to become more decisive. It’s an important element of self-confidence and being able to tread in unknown waters. Imagine taking a risk without ego; you’ll just be waiting to be crushed. Think of it as your inner cheerleader, pushing you to take on challenges and risks that you otherwise wouldn’t.
Too much ego can lead to arrogance and isolation. This is challenging if you’re someone looking for a position in leadership and have the aspirations to guide a team. Plus, a fragile ego can breed anxiety and fear of rejection which can cause difficulty in managing a team as well. Some people may not be as robust or as strong willed as you are so, they really can take things to heart and have their ego demolished from a comment you might not think twice about.
As a stark contrast, imagine someone who always insists they’re right, even when they’re not. It’s not ideal to be on one end or the other end of the spectrum. Ego really follows the Goldilocks principle; we want “just right”.
Sometimes, you need to let go of your ego, especially with family. I can speak from experience where this has come up time and again about career, life and beliefs. It’s funny that it comes up so often around family and professionally, but it’s usually due to people who care about you or really dislike you. Which speaks a lot to our own psychology. Holding onto your ego too tightly can damage relationships. If you speak with conviction and hold firm beliefs for certain topics, this is a recipe for disaster. It seems like it’s super repetitive at this point, but being open minded is one of the few ways to truly find balance in ego.
Balancing ego is a lifelong journey. It’s about knowing when to stand firm and when to yield.