EGO is a human characteristic. We all have it in some
form or other. Trying to eliminate it is a waste of time, energy, and resources
because it is a normal and natural part of you. In fact, EGO is a psychological
/ emotional element of self-awareness (which, by the way, is what primarily
differentiates people from their pets). If you don't believe me, stick your dog
or cat in front of a mirror and see what happens.
If used correctly, EGO is what motivates a person to
step it up to reach the next level. If uncontrolled, EGO is what causes a person
to become complacent or stubborn and (in extreme cases) self-destruct. To say
that someone "does not have an EGO" is a misleading statement. Of course they
do! They're human, just like you.
To say that a scientist, engineer, or other technical
professional would be better off not having an EGO is self-limiting. A more
accurate explanation would be that a person should develop the self-discipline
to keep the EGO in check – hiding it when necessary and unleashing it when
warranted.
The Boxer as
Teacher
A good example of this is Mike Tyson. He had all the
talent in the world and was well on his way to being remembered as one of the
greatest fighters of all time. But it wasn't just his talent that made things
happen. It was also his EGO – his inner fire. There may have been some other
fighters who were tougher, quicker, smarter, more experienced, and even stronger
than Mike Tyson, but no one wanted to achieve excellence more than he did. If
you get a chance, take a look at some of his early fight tapes and you'll see
what I mean.
In his prime (pre-Buster Douglas), he would walk into
that ring and KNOW there was only one result – Mike Tyson standing and the other
guying lying down. In that respect, he had the ability to harness his EGO and
unleash it for those brief periods of time between the ropes. The end result was
that he used his EGO to achieve excellence.
The Dark Side of the Fire
Within
Now here's the other side of the coin. Nearly 20 years
later, Tyson is still the same "Iron Mike" with the same EGO. But he has lost
his ability to control it. Look at the evidence - arrests, a broken marriage,
prison terms, street fights, ear biting, car accidents, filing for bankruptcy
after blowing through an estimated $ 300 million in income, and finally going
into retirement after giving up in the middle of his June 11, 2005 fight with
Kevin McBride.
Over the years, Mike Tyson's EGO caused him to become
sloppy and unmotivated. In essence, his inner fire was extinguished as he lost
sight of the bigger picture by thinking that he was larger than life itself. As
a result, instead of being remembered as one of the greatest heavyweight
champions of all time, he is remembered as one of the greatest wastes of talent
of all time.
The Core and the Cement
Wall
Even today, Tyson is still the same "Iron Mike" with the
same core EGO. But instead of strengthening his motivation and fueling his inner
fire like when he was a young fighter, his core EGO became his cement wall –
obscuring his vision, clouding his judgment and sending him into
oblivion.
I know we've all heard stories of people in the
engineering world who have achieved excellence only to later under-perform their
potential or even experience incredible failure. Understand that at the root of this drastic shift from
greatness to mediocrity or failure is their EGO - whether by
becoming sloppy and unmotivated, or simply not folding their hand when they
knew they should.
Regardless, I use Mike Tyson as an example of how one
person can use their EGO to create two totally opposite realities. The
key here is that you get to CHOOSE which path to go down – so choose
wisely.
All in all, the message this week is a simple one:
Your EGO can be your most powerful asset or
your most severe liability. Remember, it is your job to keep it in
check and know when it is time to express it, or when to restrain it so that you
are continually moving towards achieving
excellence.
Dr. Doug
Editor's Note: You can visit Dr. Doug
online at www.DrDoug.com
or by email: DrDoug@DrDoug.com. His next CR4 blog entry will run on Monday, 03/09/09.
Other CR4 Blog Entries by Dr. Doug
Meet Dr. Doug
Finding the Zone and Experiencing Flow
|
Comments rated to be "almost" Good Answers: