Too much ego leads to blindness and arrogance, and ultimately to mistakes. Its opposite is humility. How do we achieve humility? By reminding ourselves of our own failings whenever we get too carried away, too “unstoppable”, or too bothered by the faults of others.
I’m not suggesting a permanent state of low self-esteem! Just that when we see the familiar signs of runaway ego, we apply the brakes! And very often we see those warning signs in others – their reaction to us, or ours to them.
So if we see the bad in others, we know we are due for a “humility correction”. This is a remedy which we can apply ourselves, by going through the exercise of looking within for a fault of the same stature as the one we are observing in someone else. Almost always we will find one, and often it will be something we dislike more than the quality that is bothering us in someone else!
Or, it may be precisely the same fault – which suggests that we dislike it because it is “too close to home”.
Seeing the good in others, no matter who they are, is the best way to become great ourselves. Because at the polar opposite of an overblown ego, is true greatness. Excessive ego does not create greatness. The great are inevitably humble. Look at Mandela. Look at Tutu. Look at Gandhi.
The spin-off from this exercise is a great improvement in our relationships and interactions. We spread positive energy, and it comes back to us.
Have a wonderful, positive week!
No comments:
Post a Comment