The Ego's Many Excuses
Do you have a dream, a calling, a vision of who you’re meant to be? Are you living that dream? If so, no need to keep reading. If not, do you find your mind is filled with all sorts of convincing excuses as to why you’re not X enough to follow through? If so, keep reading. Below we talk about the ego’s many excuses and what to do about them.
“In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.”
Here’s what you’ll learn from this article:
How the ego prevents us from living out our purpose.
The dangers of the ego’s many identities.
What you can do to move past the ego’s excuses.
Let’s get to it!
A MILLION REASONS ‘WHY NOT’
We recently saw a poster with a quote on it that read, “If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse.”
We couldn’t disagree more. In fact, we think the entire quote should be flipped on its head.
The truth?
The more important something is to our forward progress and evolution, the more excuses we’ll find not to do it.
Of course, we’ll tell ourselves we’re simply delaying...
I need more time.
I need more experience.I need to research more.
I need to get X degree.
I’ll do it once X happens.
I’ll wait until the New Year.
And yet the excuses continue to flow into our mind even after we’ve reached the mile-markers we said we were waiting for.
One of our favorite quotes by Steven Pressfield is fitting here:
“The more important a project is to your soul’s evolution, the more resistance you’ll feel towards it.”
We can swap out “project” and insert [any action outside the ego’s comfort zone].
And let us remind you: The ego will do whatever it can to keep you in your comfort zone.
Why?
Because straying outside of what is comfortable could be dangerous to it. The ego fears failure. It fears judgment. It fears change. It fears growth. It fears expansion.
And most of all, the ego fears the day when you choose to rise above its excuses and step fully into the authentic, limitless being you’ve always been.
THE DANGERS OF THE EGO’S IDENTITIES
(FYI, we use the term “change” loosely below to denote any movement/action outside your comfort zone.)
Have you ever tried to make a positive change in your life only to find that the voice in your head (i.e., ego) comes up with all sorts of convincing arguments for why you shouldn’t change the way things are?
You have this burning feeling that if you could just get over this hump of excuses and make this change (or take this step or do this thing), something truly transformational would unfold.
And yet there are all of these beautifully articulated excuses running through your mind as to why things are fine just the way they are.
Or why this change isn’t necessary.
Or why this change is just too scary, too big.
And why you’re too small, too lacking to make this important shift.
The ego is full of excuses that prevent us from changing.
It becomes so attached to its current identities that any form of change becomes a threat to its existence.
The ego has convincing excuses to maintain even its worst of identities (e.g., addictions).
And herein lie the dangers of the ego’s attachment to identities—“good” or “bad”.
When we identify with something, the ego latches on for dear life and then makes all sorts of excuses for why we shouldn’t change the way things are.
Because changing always means releasing some part of who we once thought we were.
Have you heard of Imposter Syndrome? Simply put, it’s the crippling outcome of taking the ego’s excuses at face value for far too long.
THE VOICE OF THE HIGHER SELF
The voice of the higher self is quiet, whispering. Rather than barking orders and spewing excuses, she offers gentle guidance about the direction you’re moving in.
Think of the higher self as a compass vs. the ego as a GPS turned up to full volume and rigidly determined to keep you on its one chosen path.
With the higher self, if you’re moving in the “right” direction, you’ll feel a sense of openness.
FYI, we use “right” loosely here—the higher self doesn’t actually judge or even assess the rightness or wrongness of your choices.
If you’re on a path the higher self wouldn’t have chosen for you, you’ll feel closed off, stuck, stagnant, and/or an increasing number of “negative” emotions.
WHAT CAN you DO?
When you find the mind is filled with excuses as to why you shouldn’t change the way things are, the best thing you can do is acknowledge that those excuses are coming from the voice of the ego.
By observing the thoughts and excuses that move through the mind, you can more clearly discern what is egoic wanting and fearful thinking vs. what is the gentle whispering of the higher self.
Through this awareness, you can begin to move beyond the ego’s fearful excuses and into alignment with your purpose, gifts, and calling.
INTENTION
I am limitless, fearless, and aligned with my purpose.
DO THIS TODAY
Think about a task or activity outside of your comfort zone that you’ve been contemplating tackling. What excuses has the ego articulated to hold you back?
3 RESOURCES
How Your Ego Dictates Your Entire Life
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