Ego

Ego.

This is a word often used by many of us as an excuse to be big-headed. This is, in psychological terms, one of Sigmund Freud's three constructs of the psyche model. This is also a word that is used to describe one's self-concept. In simple terms, ego means I. In fact, that is what it means if one were to translate the word from Latin to English.

Usually, people use the word "ego" in negative terms. I am sure many of us are familiar with stories of how a person can change when he/she gets promoted to a higher position. From a humble and well-liked person, he/she becomes a despised boss. When the perception of people around him/her changes, then everything that he/she does is seen in a bad light.

No one can deny that everyone has an ego. It is, in some ways, a motivating factor for us to get certain things done. I am the first to admit that I undertook my doctorate studies because of my ego. I want to prove to myself that I can do it without any financial assistance. There is no benefits from me to gain from doing the PhD in terms of my career as I will not get promoted or get a raise. I just do it to please myself, nothing more and nothing less.

I guess ego can be positive in the sense that it can give you a driving force. But a big ego can also be detrimental. So, the best way as always is to be moderate. Don't let your ego be too small until you find yourself feeling inferior to others, and of equal importance, control your ego so that it doesn't make you big-headed.

Don't overfeed the ego.