How Do I Get 1% Better Today?
THE ANSWER — Check your ego.
One of the hardest disciplines in life is keeping your ego from growing as you grow. We outgrow a lot of things—diapers, pacifiers, naps, homework, even peer pressure—but for many of us, our ego doesn’t shrink… it expands. As people gain success, status, or position, it becomes easy to let ego take control. If I’m being honest, I know that’s something I’ve had to battle in my own life. I once heard someone say that EGO stands for Edging God Out, and that idea has stuck with me. I don’t want to be an egotistical person, and I definitely don’t want to edge God out of my life. That simple phrase has become a checkpoint for me—a reminder to stay grounded. Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
The challenge is simple, but not easy: check your ego at the door. One of the best ways to outgrow your ego is to keep the main thing the main thing—and the main thing is serving others. When we focus on helping people, adding value, and making a difference, ego begins to lose its grip. Growth isn’t about elevating yourself above others; it’s about lifting others up along the way.
A quick self-awareness test can help. High ego shows up when everything revolves around you—when you become defensive, try to control everything, lead through fear, or tear others down. Low ego looks very different—it’s rooted in serving others, being self-aware, leading with love, building people up, and actively seeking feedback. The truth is, it’s easy to let ego creep in… and even easier to ignore it. But great leaders choose to check themselves daily.
As C. S. Lewis said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”
Check yourself today. That’s how you get better.
— John Perry
NSGB