Fuck Ego.

Ego is when you put the mask on that you create that you think makes you look like the person you wish you were. It's you confusing yourself for an illusion. Ego is pretending you don't make mistakes. Ego is thinking that you did it the best you could when you could have done more.

Ego is hiding behind excuses, blaming others, and screaming to get your way. Ego is resenting those around you that have accomplished things you value. Ego is thinking others are thinking about you all the time. Ego thinking that if you work on your appearance you don't need to work on your character.  

Ego isn't always bad but even when it's right it's too seductive. When you're confident enough your ego helps reward you and as you congratulate yourself your ego swells and soon the mask returns and you go about the world assuming people care about the facade. Those that celebrate your facade only do so in an effort to support their own egotistical delusions. Those that care about you challenge your facade and seek to understand the entire you. They acknowledge your flaws as a part of you and wish for the development of positive change or at least an acceptance of the truth. 

If you focus on the present moment and forget to control your image your ego fades away. Certain activities force you to focus on what you are doing. For example, exercise, sports, music, and reading can take over your cognitive resources leaving no room for ego. Meditation and honest conversation can also help shed the facade.

Instead of ego work on discipline, balance, and growth. This is easier said than done and distracting oneself from these nobler pursuits is often a challenge. One can never be perfect and it is in the pursuit of perfectionism that one also attempts to legitimize ego. Striking a balance between healthy confidence and honest criticism seems to be a winning strategy for living a good life that doesn't hold the self as something it is not but also doesn't demean the self for the things it lacks. Honesty is key and the ego is rarely honest.