On the verge of happiness only to have it stolen away from you

Camille reminds us in her book about envy that the ego is a fragile little demon that gorges itself on our eternal discontent. It sulks like a toddler when it doesn’t get its way. 

Personally, that sounds exactly like most of the battles inside my head. Tell me if this sounds familiar. 

Your ego cunningly tricks you into believing that happiness can be found in some other way. At some magical destination to be reached where you will finally be happily ever after. Just when you think you finally have everything you want you to be content, your ego steps in and says:

Oh really? Did you see that guy’s backpack? It’s much nicer than the one you have at home. Wait, isn’t that a bungee cord on the front panel for easy access? With two mesh side stretch pockets for easy water bottle storage? It’s probably not even that expensive. Why not treat yourself? You deserve it. Besides, your old backpack is almost a year old now. That’s like a lifetime in backpack years. Dude, this new bag is going to change everything for you. Things are going to be different from now on. And since same day shipping is free now, you can always return the bag for a refund before your wife even sees the delivery box. 

Indeed, our egos are working overtime to keep themselves entrenched. 

Despite the fact that more than a billion people on earth have never once gone shopping, our egos love to instill the overwhelming sense of urgency that we are just one purchase away from happiness. 

We must be willing to look beyond this illusion. 

Not to eliminate the ego, of course, but to notice and name it, see it for the bullshit that it is, and hope it goes away. 

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

What’s the last impulsive purchase you kept a secret from someone because of guilt? * * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Inventor. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.  

[email protected]

www.nametagscott.com

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