Ego is the Enemy

These days, we are generally led to believe that the only way to be successful in life is to be some kind of creative genius. History books, motivational speeches, and self-help books are all focussed on those who have achieved immense success from having a massive ego. Our ego is also aroused by our public presence on the internet and social media, where we are constantly told that if we want our work to be noticed and appreciated, we need to build a personal brand, to stand out from the crowd, and constantly push ourselves forward to be seen and heard. We are told that we should be unique and original, and put ourselves on show for the world, or be destined for a life of anonymity. We are also told that this is the only way to make our dreams come true.

The problem is that it is only an illusion: history is full of stories of unruly geniuses who have failed miserably in life because they allowed themselves to be led by their ego. Another problem is that our worst enemy, the ego, lives inside us, so it is very easy to become swept up by its impulses: after all, it is part of our character, and most talented and ambitious people have very strong egos. Having said that, letting yourself be led by the whims and tantrums of your ego is the worst thing you can do: for every ambition, project and success story (and when things are not going according to plan) the ego is lurking in the wings and cannot wait to let everyone know how clever, unique and special you are, while ruining the hard work you have done up to that point.

If we had to sum the ego up in just a few words, we might call it “an unhealthy belief in our own importance.” In fact, the ego is the voice that tells you that you are intelligent, talented and special, and comes with a sense of superiority that puts you above everyone else. The ego then uses these unfounded beliefs to convince you that you have already achieved your goal, which prevents you from improving, growing, and learning. We can all fall victim to our ego, especially during the three key stages in life that we all experience, namely ambition, success, and failure. Whichever one of these stages you find yourself in, you must learn to put your ego aside, and behave differently to the way most of us have been taught, because doing so is the only way to ensure that your endeavours are successful, and that you will lead a happy, balanced life.