deepstash
Beta
Why Ego is The Greatest Opponent to Your Creativity and Success (And How to Fight Back)
The Essence of Creativity
It is a deep and continuous connection to the world around us. The Ego disconnects us from reality, stifling creativity.
95 SAVES
This is a professional note extracted from an online article.
Read more efficiently
Save what inspires you
Remember anything
IDEA EXTRACTED FROM:
5
Key Ideas
The Ego is confusing
The Ego is a confusing paradox. Many are in agreement that ego was bad, that it destroyed creativity and happiness, that they knew plenty of toxic egomaniacs who had wrecked themselves. But they still think Ego is important.
Ryan Holiday
"One does not need to be an egotistical maniac to be successful.
This is one of the most misleading and destructive myths in all of Western culture."
Trouble starts with Ego
It starts where our notion of ourselves and the world grows so strong that it begins to distort the reality which surrounds us.
The ego has then succeeded in completely separating us from the world.
The Essence of Creativity
It is a deep and continuous connection to the world around us. The Ego disconnects us from reality, stifling creativity.
Confidence vs Ego
- Confidence is based on what is real and it's earned. It does not alienate us from others.
- Ego is based on delusion and wishful thinking. It is artifice and makes us self-centered.
SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
3
Key Ideas
We Are Born Creative
Human beings are born with a capacity to reflect, evaluate, to come up with new ideas, and find new connections. We think such creative abilities are for a chosen few, but we all have it. We may ha...
Decades of Wrong Beliefs
Productivity requires continuous output, while creativity is a non-linear, messy, disjointed process that needs to be unstructured.
We have decades of exposure to historical and cultural beliefs on how work should be and what it means to be successful, so it is hard for us to understand creativity.
Ignite The Fire
To be creative, we have let our brains loose. The mind needs rest and time every day to daydream, imagine and get intentionally bored. Letting our minds free is an incredibly important cognitive exercise.
Take the time to expose yourself in diverse subjects, things that inspire you and dissolve boundaries can foster creativity. Identify and let go of wrong beliefs and outdated stories you tell yourself every day.
10
Key Ideas
Restrict yourself
Research suggests placing self-imposed limitations can boost creativity.
It forces your brain to come up with creative solutions to finish a project around the parameters you’ve ...
Re-conceptualize the problem
Instead of thinking of a cut-and-dry end goal to certain situations, creative people sit back and examine the problem in different ways before beginning to work.
If you find yourself stagnating by focusing on generic problems, try to re-conceptualize the problem by focusing on a more meaningful angle.
For example: Instead of thinking “What would be something cool to paint?” rather ask, “What sort of painting evokes the feeling of loneliness that we all encounter after a break-up?”
Create psychological distance
Creating “psychological” distance may be useful for breaking through a creative block.
Try to imagine your creative task as being disconnected and distant from your current position/location - this may make the problem more accessible and can encourage higher level thinking.
7 more ideas
8
Key Ideas
Resilience
It is our ability to survive and flourish through our traumas, stressors, responsibility shifts and challenges offered by life.
Self-Respecting
To be resilient, you must develop the ability to self-soothe when things get tough.
When things are in a particularly stressful place, you must tap into your will, motivation, and pliability to continue moving forward.
Emotionally Driven
Resilient people are not needy, desperate or overly reactive.
They carry a relaxed attitude and view rejection as a new direction opportunity. They don’t get down when challenged, they commit to getting up. They do not depend upon others for our resources.
5 more ideas