Rundown #122: Ego vs. Extreme Ownership

When we don’t understand something, someone, a new idea or technology, and when that new thing challenges our identity, intelligence or livelihood, instead of listening and leaning in – in an attempt to ease our cognitive dissonance – we too often lean out and attack them. This might make us feel good, but an ostrich with its head in the sand is at

Soldiers and athletes know from experience that the most dangerous opponent is one who lost the last contest but has the humility to learn why—and the discipline to correct their weaknesses.

Who am I? What am I doing? What is my role in this world?

We need to learn to understand when ego serves us and when it hinders us. Wrapping ego up in outcomes instead of in ourselves makes it easier to update our views.

Often, the most difficult ego to deal with is your own. Everyone has an ego. Ego drives the most successful people in life—in the SEAL Teams, in the military, in the business world. They want to win, to be the best. That is good. But when ego clouds our judgment and prevents us from seeing the world as it is, then ego becomes destructive.