navigating ego

welcome to introspection ft. harsehaj! ⭐️ i’m harsehaj, a 19 y/o always up to something in social good x tech.

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onto today’s topic: navigating ego 🏅 

there’s a key difference between being egotistical and confident, yet it can be tricky treading that line.

what i’ve realized while mentoring hundreds of students, working on design teams, and internships, is that a confident person still has a willingness to listen and learn despite being self-assured in their competence.

everyone should have an ego, or pride. we can even call it self-respect. a problem presents itself, however, when egos are overinflated. if your ego gets in the way of you apologizing for your mistakes, it’s most definitely a problem. 🤷‍♀️ 

emotional intelligence is a powerful characteristic that keeps ego in check. “listening” to others talk when all you’re really doing is thinking of your own answer or next question is an example of ego at play. truly listening to others and responding accordingly levels the discussion — you’re not pushing to be right or to make a point. this mental switch calls for a degree of emotional maturity.

being okay with being wrong comes from a mindset of always wanting to learn and grow. if you think your current self is all-knowing and correct, that’s a very egoistical approach to life. to truly learn and listen, we must make accept that sometimes we are wrong, and that’s okay. 🫡 

to take it one step further, give that credit to another person where it’s due. instead of brooding silently about “losing” a discussion, shout them out for opening your perspective and continue the conversation. this a clear testament to your confidence while still keeping your ego at bay.

it doesn’t matter if you’re a ceo of a huge company, senior with years of wisdom, or child prodigy, you’re not always right. that realization is the first step to navigating ego.

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