APRIL 9, 2021
TAME THE BIG ME
One of the Four Pillars of our Band of Brothers is Self-Mastery or “The Big Me.” (The other three are Wisdom, Courage and Love) The “Big Me,” of course, is also known as our EGO. We all need a healthy ego to survive, grow and prosper in this world and, like a belly button, we all have one. We all will experience EGO at every stage of our life. The goal should be to work toward a healthy ego by getting out of ourselves and into others to really understand WHO we are. Are we a LIGHT or do we have that need to control others instead of practicing Self-Mastery, by using our dark side or shadow? We all have aspirations, a desire for success and corresponding failures, which help us grow as human beings. If you choose to grow your world, try taking off your mask and taming your ego.
With the Ego in mind, we encourage our Band of Brothers (or Women of Worth) to develop their own definition of success rather than have others define it for them. With success comes the temptation to tell oneself a story. Yes, we all have a story to tell so don’t be afraid to tell YOUR story. (What have you learned in life?) In addition, the temptation of success helps us round off the edges where our achievements and accomplishments become our self-worth. (Remember, you are a person of worth) We all need a career (Work) and finding a career that matches our talents is important. Are you doing something you LOVE or are you doing it because it is a job? If it is the latter, you had better get your head out of “You know where” and find something that you love, or life will be full of drama. Having success can be good but we are ALL going to fail at one time or another. How do you react to a setback?
Most of us won’t include our failures in our resumes’ because we are embarrassed or we may feel we are losers. STOP IT! God didn’t create a loser. He will allow us to fail but he will also allow us to forgive, move on, and grow. That means forgiving ourselves FIRST before we go asking for forgiveness from others. Once you do this, just take the next positive step in your life.
Success comes with a price for everyone. Yes, there are those who appear to be in total control and doing what they do might appear easy. (Make sure you are not too full of Vitamin I) How do you see your success? Is it a treadmill of pain and frustration? If so, maybe you need to check your EGO to see if that might be your problem. How YOU see things and not what other people might think or say about you or to you. (Self-Awareness) This harkens to our old lesson on what is in your control and what is not. MOST of what we see or hear today is NOT in our control. However, if you can find the wisdom, the courage and the love in your life, you just might find that you are unique and bring value to others (and yourself) in so many ways.
Yours truly is fascinated with people in general and loves to try to understand why people do what they do. Yes, we all want to make a good first impression on others. But what happens next? Most people are afraid to open up to others by allowing them into their own world because they are afraid they might get hurt or exposed. (Take off your mask) If you have your crap together and have a healthy ego, you just might learn something about yourself and others by watching, listening, and building a strong relationship with someone whom you respect. (Like a mentor) Seeing the EGO in others has made me more self-aware as to my own strengths, blind spots, and ego. While we shouldn’t compare ourselves to others, we should learn from them as to whether they are people we can trust or people that are just in it for themselves. When we are young, (actually throughout life) we all need to hear words of inspiration and love. But once you get out on your own, don’t let your ego get in your way. Make it a magnet by drawing others in with your humility. Remember; “It’s not about you anyway.”
Lots to digest in studying the “Big Me.” Ego has cost many SO MUCH. Think about who you are, who you want to be, and what path you want to take in life. Make it a good one with siderails. Any hero you read about today fought through their own “BIG ME” at every turn of their life. Look at those heroes that understood their ego, as people who put their higher goals above the desire for recognition or their own self-interest. Sure, ego has worked for some. Many of history’s most famous men and women were notoriously egotistical. However, there is a huge difference between being egotistical and inept. This is why you need to know WHO you are and where you are going. If so, you just might be on your way to self-actualization in becoming a HUGE difference maker in this life. (Significance)
Watch and learn about taming the “Big Me.” It will serve you (and others) well in your life.
Elevator Guy
Quote for the Day: “You can’t learn if you think you already know. You will not find the answers if you’re too conceited and self-assured to ask questions. You cannot get better if you’re convinced you are the best.” Ryan Holiday, “Ego is the Enemy”