Ego Management: Sneaky Comfort

Happy Sunday my friend, I hope you’re having a great November so far!

Corridors of Curiosity 014 is here — let’s get it.

Pressure is a Privilege

“To whom much is given, much will be required.” LUKE 12:48 (Bible)

It is easy to complain about the stressors of everyday life. It is easy to get lost in the sauce of busy work. It is easy to lose track of our perspective and forget about the blessings that sprinkle our lives.

Having the privilege to focus on thriving instead of surviving is the biggest blessing we could ever have. Even so, we abuse it.

We tend to forget the reality of life. We tend to believe we are untouchable.

We take this life shit for granted.

We are healthy — until we are not.

So, while we have health, we must invest in strengthening our bodies, minds, and spirits for future situations.

That makes sense. Simple.

Yet — why do humans fall into the trap of “too little, too late?”

One answer is that ego dictates our actions — so once we get to a point past survival, we stop and ease up on the pedal. We get comfortable.

We fail to recognize that investing in our health is how we stay healthy, we get comfortable with our current state of being. We stick to our guns rather than challenge our current strategies because our ego is comfortable where we are at.

The ego is focused on staying comfortable — any threat to that comfort will be seen as negative. Even helpful suggestions will come with a strong sense of rejection.

We want to change and improve, yet we won’t if our ego runs the show.

If we want to reach new levels in life, we must be aware of this sneaky comfort that can hold us back. Good enough is rarely good enough. “Good enough” limits what’s possible. Good enough is a recipe for stagnation.

Understanding and managing your ego is a cheat code for success.

We all have an ego — it is stronger in some situations than in others.

If you don’t like what I’m saying — it’s probably your ego trying to shut me up.

And hey — your ego is not the bad guy. It is just trying to keep you comfortable and far from feelings of inadequacy. (and that’s okay. The Ego is NOT always the Enemy.)

Rather than discourage having an ego, I like to encourage awareness of ego.

Awareness begets management. Once you have a sense of what your ego is holding you back from, you can learn to manage how you respond to situations.

An example:

I haven’t been exercising consistently this year. My ego says:

• “It’s okay to not work out, most people don’t work out.”

• “Who cares how I look, it’s vain to focus on physical form.”

• “Just start working out for 2 hours a day for 2 weeks straight, that’ll get me on track — intensity is my best plan of attack.”

After gaining awareness and reflecting, I tell my ego:

• “Most people who don’t work out are miserable, unhealthy, and stressed out. I don’t want to be like that.”

• “Caring about how I look doesn’t make me a bad person, it is okay to take pride in my physical appearance. How my body looks is a huge part of my self-confidence.”

• “Starting with blind intensity will only end up with me burning out or getting hurt. I need to start slower and build up my base. That is better and more sustainable long-term.”

Once I gained this understanding, I can take the next steps with confidence and patience.

There is nothing wrong with having conversations with the ego. Learn to ask your ego questions as you strive to gain an understanding. You and your ego can work together toward your goals instead of sabotaging you the entire way.

Being Humble is not an excuse for Ignoring your Ego

I see it all the time. People who claim to be so humble that they don’t have an ego. In reality, they just ignore the calls.

True humility comes from an understanding that the ego is a part of the soul and mind.

The more you ignore the calls of the ego, the louder the ring gets.

The ego just wants to be understood — it wants to ensure your safety and keep you from stressful environments.

We understand that to grow into our potential — we have to face stressful situations head-on. We have to seek out challenges, we have to reject comfort.

That means telling the ego:

“Hey bro, I hear you. I understand you want my comfort. But I want to improve and that requires me to push you to the side. We’ll both be better for this, there is no need to be stagnant in the face of stress.”

Parils Top Five List

Top Five Letters in the English Alphabet

1. P

2. Q

3. C

4. T

5. S

Bottom Five Letters in the English Alphabet

22. N

23. L

24. G

25. H

26. W

Thanks for investing your time and energy into reading this weeks Corridors of Curiosity letter.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving week!

See you next Sunday,

Paril

Embrace the Chase