By | Adil Malia | www.adilmalia.com
If people learn to rise above their egos and not take pleasure out of small Pyrrhic Victories, we would indeed be able to collectively achieve much more. Easy to comprehend this equation at the cognitive level. But the more difficult part is to win over the proposition : how does one win the battle against one’s ego ?
The term has ancient reference to the war initiated by Pyrrhus, the King of Epirus against the Romans. Away from home, Pyrrhus won a battle at Asculum in 279 BCE but lost many of his loyal soldiers fighting in the field. He could not get reinforcements of his troops being a long distance away. But the Roman’s being closer, quickly could remuster their forces. Pyrrhus realised that the next two battles in the chain that he necessarily had to fight against the Romans , were not going to be possible without his loyal soldiers. He thus retreated back to Greece despite winning the first battle. He lost the big war.
So often in life – personal or corporate, we battle very insifnifican and small issues all for our Ego. What we lose track and sight of is the hit it brings to the larger common Purpose that we are committed to. But who can question the Ego ?? Ego walks over all other logic and reasoning. It has to destroy for that is its purpose and Ego is a high goal driven performer.
These are the five ways that some men in our world have learnt to battle and win over ego … Let me share. May help us all…
1. Be Mindful. Tackle the challenge with the wisdom and maturity it requires at that moment. Do not let memories of the past transactions colour your present response and form a Never ending chain.
2. Mind is a battler. Your thoughts are not the sole representatives of your identity. Add oodles of emotional maturity, values, need for responsibility and greatness of love to the recommendations of your mind in the situation before you do what it is suggesting as a reaction. Mind is the mouth piece of your ego. Put breaks on it.
3. Vote for Joy, opt for happiness, denounce toxic alternatives and its unending chain of reciprocation.
4. Keep recounting positive affirmations. If you don’t take medicines, illness takes the better of you. Affirmations have spiritual healing potions.
5. Keep reminding yourself that life is dated, ego is the Pyrrhic and happiness is the purpose of the short dated life you live in.
Invest time. Think of all the small and big Pyrrhic battles you have waged. Think who won the battle ? Think, who won the War ? Think who lost ?
Republished with permission and originally published at www.adilmalia.com
