Do you have a beginner’s mindset? Do you realize that you don’t know anything and go in with that thinking into every situation?
Or do you believe that you are the ultimate knower, and there’s nothing that can befuddle or confuse you?
Everyone goes through phases of believing they know everything, until they realize they know nothing. And that in-between phase is where all of the growing up and maturing happens.
I remember when I was a teenager, or in my twenties, I believed I had all the answers to all the questions. Ask me anything, I know it, I used to retort. I had such a huge ego, it’s a wonder I wasn’t buried under its weight.
All Problems Are Due To the Ego
All problems that we have are related to the ego, my teacher once told me, and it was revealing how true that is for me.
Every issue I have had in every possible situation, including relationships, jobs, and personal growth, have to do with the weight of my huge ego, that I carry around like a boulder on my shoulders.
It’s lamentable how much time I have wasted in this haphazard, ruinous manner.
What is an ego anyways? It’s nothing significant, just a structure that we have created in order to ‘protect’ ourselves from the world. And protect ourselves, it does. Terribly, but it does.
Whenever we feel like our ego structure is being threatened, which is almost all day long, we feel troubled, and we lash out.
For example, I have been in situations where the easiest thing to do would be to say sorry. Just a simple word, and a simple gesture. But instead of using the word, and apologizing, I don’t.
I get stuck in my idea of how things should be, and I refuse to budge. But it’s their fault, I retort. They are the ones who should apologize, I grumble.
This simple gesture could have saved many a relationships, but instead of letting it save my relationships, I stand my ground, pretending like I am doing a good thing. My ego won’t let go. I won’t let go.
The Beginner’s Mindset Helps With Ego Problems
With a beginner’s mindset though, we realize that we are nothing, and we know nothing, which is the ultimate truth, if only we could truly and utterly inculcate it into our souls, minds, and spirits.
If only I could remember it every single time, I believe I am in the right, and that everyone else should bow down to me and my greatness. Oh boy! What a joke it all is.
Even if I am in the right, then what good comes of harping on about it? If I know I’m right, and the world doesn’t, is it such a loss?
I used to have a much bigger ego, and of course, much bigger problems.
Now, I have a smaller ego, still pretty big, but smaller than before, and my problems are much smaller as well.
I understand now why everyone chatters on and on about the importance of dissolving the ego and getting back to the soul, the self, the Atman.
When we have a beginner’s mindset, we are willing and open to new ideas. If you believe you know everything, then your cup is full. There’s nothing more that can enter it.
When you know that you know nothing, your cup is empty, ready to receive the wisdom of the world.
There’s Just Too Much Information Out There for Anyone To Know It All
Information is being created in the digital age at the crazy rate of 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day!
Not even considering the fact that there’s lots of information being created, even if you were to focus on a very particular niche, and only on that, there would still be too much information for one human to consume, understand, and remember.
So even if we were to proclaim our expertise on a subject matter, in a few months with all the new information that is being created, our expertise would be obsolete.
Even if we tried to keep on top of things, it is impossible to do so.
Once we realize this fact, and relax into our ignorance, that’s when the real growth begins. It’s not that we are giving up, but that we are realizing our smallness. Our ego doesn’t need to bluster and stand tall anymore.
There’s no point. It’s a facade anyway. Everyone knows it to be so.
The relaxation process can begin. No need to hold any tension. The ego can fade out as well, because you know you know nothing. There’s nothing to prove anymore. It’s all okay. You are fine. There’s no competition.
You are not against anyone, and they are not against you. There’s no need anymore.
I Know I Know Nothing and That Beginner’s Mindset Frees Me Up
The beginner’s mindset frees us up to be ourselves. We can go into a situation and say we know nothing, and that’s okay. There’s no need to be ashamed anymore. It’s normal, because everyone’s in the same boat.
Everyone is exactly the same. You can just relax and let go.
You are free now. Free to be who you are, without your ego, without your blustering attitude.
