The ID and the EGO
… about how the mind wanders
A few days back I participated in a workshop, where the trainer presented the Dilts pyramid. Seeing the ID at the top of the pyramid, I started wondering what the pyramid would look like, if at the top would be the EGO. It must be said though, that the trainer was not referring to the freudian ID, he just used it as an acronym for identity, obviously due to the lack of space. Nonetheless, this was enough to get the ball rolling and have my mind wandering to topics not even from far related to the workshop.
By ego we do not talk about the freudian conscious awareness of the human psyche, nor about the ego perceived as the “root of all evil” in eastern philosophies. More so, we consider here the ego as being the self-perception of a specific individual. What would be in this case the ultimate achievement is not so much the sense, as it is the self. May that be any role one sees as being the ultimate goal and point of envy for all those looking up. Starting from the ground, the environment is perceived as a minefield, lined with obstacles to overcome, filled with danger. Striving, beliefs like “what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger” form, and our reactions, our behaviour and habits turn into an endless marathon, with us running on a treadmill. We react, we use reasoning, form strategies based on highly intellectual models. Not necessarily based on our own abilities, in some cases smudging the boundaries of our own potential – sacrificed at the altar of self-benefit. Constantly looking for validation, we will either nod or be nodded at.
“Wear your Ego like a loose fitting garment…”
Comparing to the Maslow pyramid of needs we find the ego – who needs power, recognition and prestige almost at the top, the peak being self actualisation – the need for development and creativity. As the process of development is continuous and creativity endless, we can perceive that the pyramid transcends beyond its geometrical limits, may that be sense, purpose, spirit or whatever one might like to call it.
In this interpretation the individual would just be unfinished. Like a house without a roof, or a cake with no frosting…
