The Overflowing Ego.
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), was visited by a University professor, who came to inquire about Zen.
Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full and then kept on pouring.
The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”
“Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?” (luke miller upliftconnect.com)
Like the professor in the story, sometimes we have a tendency to fill up our own cups well beyond the point of them being too full to control. Your overinflated ego can overshadow your best design work, your capabilities, and create an environment of toxicity and denial that makes you a very difficult person to work with.
Design skills can only carry you so far in life. It is the human connections with people that really matter in this world. It is your attitude that can build bridges or burn them in our interactions with others.
There are some instances where people will treat you in ways that you believe are unfair or unjust. Sometimes we have no control over that. What we do have is FULL CONTROL on how we react to it.
Lashing out and blaming others for their reaction to actions you have created when your ego has been bruised is not the best course of action.
As designers, we have opportunities to change the world in so many positive ways. It is up to us to try to tame our own egos and check our attitudes in favor of the greater good.
There will always be people we don't like, designs we hate, or opportunities that we think we should have gotten instead of others. All of this is a part of the creative world in which we live. By paying attention to our own overflowing cups we can begin to look at the world with a greater sense of humility and less hubris...and not come off as an egotistical jerk to work with.
Do the world a favor...be nice, check your ego at the door, and don't be an asshole.
Now, go design all the things.
Experienced Professional Seeking Roles in Personal Assistance, Admin Support, and Event Coordination | Committed to Supporting Team Success
5 年This ties into a quote I heard on Oprah or something and that is "We are responsible for our own mental health, happiness, and well-being." There will ALWAYS be less than ideal situations that arise at work, at home, with friends and family, but the key here is to really understand we humans can choose how we respond. Choosing unwisely can cost you your job, money, and more importantly... human connections.?
#NowGoDesignAllTheThings ??