Why Playing Small Is Just Your Ego

By Lissa Rankin MD
Guest Writer for Wake Up World

When most of us think of the idea of the ego, we think of words like “egotistical” or “arrogant.” What most don’t understand is that the same ego that leads people to boast,  self-inflate, name drop, and preen around with self importance can manifest as just the opposite. When you wallow in self-doubt, act like you’re not good enough to belong, self-flagellate, or otherwise diminish yourself, that’s not humility. It’s more ego.

So what do I mean by ego?  I’m not talking about the Freudian definition that breaks your psyche into the id, ego, and superego. I’m also not talking solely about the part of you that tries to make you superior to others. I’m talking about the part of you that thinks it is separate from Oneness/The Universe/All That Is. This illusion of separateness may lead you to believe that you’re distinct and not connected, and because of this illusion, your ego will try to make everything and everyone either “better than” or “worse than” you.