Learn this effective word acting as a double-edged sword for success!
Neyamathullah H.M
Senior Softs-skill Trainer (Certified) / Consultant / Freedom Career Growth professional.
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In this article, I am going to discuss an interesting but highly effective word that has its own effect on everyone’s life.?
Are you aware of EGO? Of course, everyone lives with this word called “ego” every day. What are its pros and cons? Someone may be aware of it, but many people are living their lives without knowing its impact.?Living is inevitable but living together with ego is a sharp double edged sword, one must know it.
Definition of Ego and Its Aftereffects:
Ego is a person's sense of self-esteem, confidence, identity, or self-importance. It is the identity that one constructs around oneself, often influenced by achievements, status, and external validation.
The aftereffects of a heightened ego can be both beneficial and detrimental, influencing various aspects of a person's life.
The ego, often portrayed negatively, is a complex aspect of your psyche. Let’s look at its pros and cons.
You should remember that ego is a journey to nowhere.
A day with ego consumes full energy if it is applied with positive thoughts. A day with ego makes you fully exhaustive if it is applied to negative thoughts. So, one should be careful while executing its benefits.
Pros of Having Ego
The below sub-titles will help you understand the importance of each skill, and a brief description is also given for further insights into what it is and how it would be.
But why is it happening? Mostly, it is an inborn nature, but it is also developed over a period of time. I have listed here seven skills that are considered ego boosters for doing positive things.
One should be careful while utilizing their ego in their life. A right endeavour nurtured with positive attitudes would bloom with fragrance, and it would be loved by people.
So, it is important to follow it. It is a delicate glass jar and should be handled with care.?
1.??? Self-Confidence: Ego can bolster self-confidence, allowing individuals to pursue ambitious goals. For instance, an entrepreneur might leverage their ego to push through initial failures and establish a successful business. A deep breath of lifting one’s thoughts is a self-confidence of having a deeper focus.
2.??? Leadership: A healthy ego can help in taking charge and leading others. Leaders with a strong ego often make decisive choices, inspiring confidence in their teams. Leaders should apply their egos in the right spirit and lift the motivation of their teammates so that they feel it and deliver the results. Please remember that it is a double-edged sword.
3.??? Resilience: Ego can provide a shield against criticism, helping individuals stay focused on their path despite naysayers. Athletes often use their egos to maintain peak performance under pressure. Once you nurture this skill in life, you can handle any situation in a better way and see its success. What I am mentioning here is that it should be focused on by everyone who is on a journey of self-discovery.
4.??? Ambition: A strong ego drives ambition, pushing individuals to strive for excellence. For example, a scientist may be driven by ego to make ground-breaking discoveries. Be ambitious and try to achieve the best in life. It’s value can be realized once you drive the right way.
5.??? Assertiveness: Ego enables assertiveness, helping individuals to stand up for their beliefs and values. This is evident in activists who fight for social causes despite opposition.
6.??? Motivation: Ego can serve as a powerful motivator, pushing individuals to achieve and excel. A student might channel their ego to graduate with honours. It is built with resilience, as explained above. But one should understand its balancing point to stay alert.
7.??? Sense of Identity: A healthy ego provides a strong sense of identity and purpose. Artists, for instance, often draw from their egos to create authentic and impactful works. When the ego works towards positive achievements, a sense of identity marks a strong footing for a person.
Cons of Having Ego
Though you learn the pros of ego, it definitely has cons as well. That’s why I have listed here seven traits that are considered ego-hindering, not allowing us to do positive things.
1.??? Arrogance: An excessive ego can lead to arrogance, alienating others. A manager who dismisses feedback might lose the respect of their team. The unpleasant proudness pushed you to behave as if you were more important or knew more than others. It deflates your growth.
2.??? Conflict: High ego can cause conflicts in personal and professional relationships. An inflated sense of self-worth might lead to frequent arguments and misunderstandings. It exists everywhere. It becomes a displeasure situation when you have differences of opinion with your teammates and stakeholders. I have seen many unresolved conflicts within teammates and bosses that cost company sales and payment outstanding wherever I worked. It is also applicable in personal life. The art of balancing yourself is crucial to having peace of mind.
3.??? Blind Spots: Ego can create blind spots, preventing individuals from acknowledging their weaknesses. A CEO with an unchecked ego might ignore crucial market signals, leading to business failure. It is like a blind spot in a vehicle. If you are not cautious, then it could generate an unknown emptiness.
4.??? Isolation: People with large egos often isolate themselves, believing they are superior. This can result in a lack of collaboration and support. Wherever you go or work, togetherness brings more success.
领英推荐
It is a known proverb: unity is strength.
I would like to refresh the below statement:
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
-?????? Helen Keller
5.??? Resistance to Change: Ego can make individuals resistant to change, hindering personal and professional growth. An employee might resist new technologies, fearing they challenge their expertise.
There is much historical evidence that narrates the downfall of many companies due to their resistance to change. Their management failed to have foresight about disruptive emerging technologies. Some of them are:
1.??? Blockbuster, which was crushed by Netflix.
2.??? Nokia failed to see disruptive innovations like the iPhone.
3.??? Kodak, which lost track of the digital era.
4.??? Motorola, which got outmaneuvered by smartphones.
It is important to refresh a quote from Charles Darwin:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”?
6.??? Stress and Anxiety: Maintaining an inflated ego is stressful, as it often involves constant validation-seeking. Public figures might experience burnout from trying to uphold a perfect image. Presently, maintaining mental strength is paramount, as many people are falling down on it. It affects your life and cannot run your day-to-day operations. So, keep yourself cool and maintain fairness and openness with everyone. Keeping stress in your life creates anxiety, and health-related challenges may also crop up. So beware of what you do and adhere to the best practices to run smoothly.
7.??? Poor Decision Making: Decisions made from a place of ego are often impulsive and self-serving. A politician might push policies that benefit their image rather than the public good. Never attempt to make decisions when you are not in a good mood or under stress. It has a negative impact, and its realization may cost your growth.
Why Millionaires Fall Due to Ego?
Many millionaires fall due to their inflated egos because they start believing their success is solely due to their brilliance, ignoring other contributing factors like efforts, timing, and support from others. This belief can lead to risky decisions, a lack of humility, and resistance to advice or criticism. They often fail to recognize the importance of continuous learning and adaptability, eventually leading to their downfall.
Overcoming Ego
To overcome ego, individuals should practice humility, self-awareness, and continuous learning. They should seek feedback, embrace vulnerability, and remember that success is often a collective effort. Surrounding oneself with honest and supportive people and regularly reflecting on one's actions and motivations can help keep one's ego in check.
Focus on the past, that’s ego. Focus on the future, that’s pride. Focus on the present; that’s humility.
While EGO, abbreviated as "Ever Growing Outburst," creatively captures some negative aspects of ego, it may not fully encompass the broader and more nuanced nature of ego.
A more balanced and widely applicable abbreviation for EGO could be:
EGO: Empowering Growth and Opportunity
This abbreviation reflects both the positive and negative potential of the ego. It acknowledges that ego can drive personal and professional growth and open up opportunities, but also hints that it must be managed wisely to prevent negative outcomes.
Explanation:
Conclusion
Ego, when managed well, can be a powerful force driving success and personal growth. However, unchecked ego can lead to downfall, especially among those in positions of power and wealth. Recognizing the dual nature of the ego and striving for balance is crucial for sustained success and meaningful relationships.
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