Is ego really the problem?

Sometimes.

Sometimes it can get in the way.

The thing is, everyone walks out the door with an ego. It takes ego to make an assertion, to see a problem and say “I’m going to change this.”

Because who are you to decide? Who put you in charge?

The problem with ego is when it begins to effect the relationships around us.

Steve Jobs is considered by many a genius. A once in a generation. He had the vision to change the way we think of well designed products. The iPhone is only ten years old and look how it has drastically changed the way we live.

And he was at times extremely mean, rude, wrong, unworkable, fallible…all can be contributed to an ego.

Ego is a useful tool until it isn’t.

Ego helps us strain the boundaries of what we think is possible. Ego helps us innovate, to take chances, to make change happen. Ego helps us challenge the status-quo.

And…

Ego keeps us from listening to feedback. Ego is what causes divorce, or to cheat on our partner, or continues to justify our addictions. Ego makes us believe that our first world emergencies are actually full of risk.

Ego is our friend. Ego is our enemy. Ego is a double edge sword.