Hi Cringers,
One mental block I had to get over early in marketing myself was the idea that ego is bad.
Many of us (especially girls) are conditioned to always be thinking about others.
We’re told not to “brag” about our achievements because that will make others uncomfortable. We should “stay humble.”
Because if we don’t we’ll be seen as :gasp: “egomaniacs” or, as someone recently accused me of on LinkedIn:
It seems to me that a lot of this shame is rooted in various religious ideologies (surprise, surprise).
In both Western and Eastern religions ego is seen as an obstacle that prevents us from connecting with the divine.
Any sense of individuality or separation is an illusion that keeps us from realizing that we are all connected, all one, all part of some spiritual cosmic soup.
And I don’t disagree with that. I believe we are all one, all made up of the same energy and all that.
BUT what if we viewed ego as less of an obstacle and more as a tool for connecting with ourselves and others more deeply?
This is an idea Jung talked about.
According to The Society of Analytical Psychology:
“Jung saw the ego as the centre of the field of consciousness which contains our conscious awareness of existing and a continuing sense of personal identity. It is the organiser of our thoughts and intuitions, feelings, and sensations, and has access to memories which are not repressed. The ego is the bearer of personality and stands at the junction between the inner and outer worlds.”
Or to put it simply, ego is “our sense of self-importance.”
And if that’s the case, what’s so bad about owning your importance? Isn’t your experience just as important as anyone else’s?
Plus, if we truly are all one, why would anyone care if anyone else talked about themself? Isn’t that just us talking about us at the end of the day?
To put yourself out there, you need self-confidence. Developing a healthy ego is part of that process.
The first step to building your reputation is to let go of the shame of talking about yourself and to see talking about yourself as actually a service to others.
Sharing your experiences can build community and inspire others to take action in their own lives.
By viewing our egos as “bad” or something to “kill” we put ourselves in a situation where we’re always looking outward and downplaying our achievements.
What would happen if rather than rejecting the ego, we worked on cultivating a healthy one?
Wouldn’t it be better for the collective if more people loved themselves, understood themselves, and shared their experiences in a way that helps us all connect more deeply?
What do you think about ego? How do you understand it? Reply to this post and let me know!
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This one made me think. I generally talk about ego as something negative, but you have a good point. I guess it’s like many things that can be used for good or evil. Heathy is the key.
A great read!