Ego Is Good

From Seth Godin’s Poke The Box:

Somewhere along the way, ego became a nasty word. It’s not.

When our name is on a project, our ego pushes us over the hump and drives us to do even better work. Ego drives us to seek acceptance, to make a difference, and to push the envelope. If ego wasn’t a key driver in the process, then creative, generous work would all be anonymous, and it isn’t.

It’s okay. Let your ego push you to be the initiator.

But tell your ego that the best way to get something shipped is to let other people take the credit. The real win for you (and your ego) is seeing something get shipped, not in getting the credit when it does.

Humans love to do this. We have a real knack for demonizing human traits in the name of self-righteousness.

If ego is what makes you ship, if it’s what helps you make the world a better place, then ego is good.

If greed is what makes you develop the drugs that cure cancer or AIDS, then greed is good.

If vanity is what makes you shower so that I don’t have to smell your funk, then vanity is good.

We don’t live in a world of absolutes.