EGO - The Inner Enemy: Practical philosophy club🇸🇪

The subject: EGO - our inner enemy.

"Ego seeks control.
It judges, compares itself to others, seeks validation, and clings to old habits.
It makes us act out of pride, fear, or the need to always be right—and prevents us from growing.
Problems in life often arise from self-blindness—an inability to reflect on and understand our ego, thoughts, feelings, and actions.
The ego seeks control and often clings to old habits, thoughts, and behaviors. It can be the greatest obstacle to personal growth, change, and success, as change is perceived as a threat to one’s identity—especially for individuals with a fixed mindset.
The ego often drives us to act out of pride, self-centeredness, and an exaggerated reliance on and belief in our old habits and the correctness of established rules, which can lead to self-destructive behaviors. The ego masks and attempts to hinder the growth of our true identity and inner self, which is evolutionarily guided by our conscious mind. It does not create anything new and blocks the conscious brain—the true inner self—from creativity. Mastering the ego is not about becoming perfect, but about becoming open and aware. Only then can we create a life that is more harmonious, rational, sustainable, and true—for ourselves and for others.
Questions to discuss:
• Am I trying to win or dominate the conversation?
• Is it more important for me to be and prove I am right than to create harmony in my relationships?
• Why do I feel a need to be right in this situation? Is it to strengthen my self-esteem—or to diminish someone else’s?
• Am I holding on to my opinion to validate my own value?
• Why do I feel a need to judge, criticize, or change others?
• Do I criticize others in order to hide my own insecurities and low self-worth?
• Am I holding on to something out of fear of revealing my weaknesses?
• How can I act with more openness and a growth mindset instead of defensiveness?
• If I let go of the need to be right, would I actually lose - or might I win stronger relationships?"
(from Gunnar Björklunds book: Self-observation: there is no more time to lose).
Optional:
I (Vilija) developed a Quick Self-Test for Ego (Quick Self-Test)
Choose the option that best reflects your typical behavior.
1. Do I feel a need to prove I am right to feel powerful or validated?
No (0) Kind of (1) Yes (2)
2. If I am losing a discussion, do I try to turn it in my favor no matter what?
No (0) Kind of (1) Yes (2)
3. When I lose an argument, do I experience it as a significant personal loss?
No (0) Kind of (1) Yes (2)
4. Can I allow another person to “save face” and end the discussion, even if I know I am right?
Yes (0) Kind of (1) No (2)
5. Do I seek validation or confirmation from people with higher status or authority?
No (0) Kind of (1) Yes (2)
6. Do I adapt my opinions or behavior around higher-status people to fit in or be accepted?
No (0) Kind of (1) Yes (2)
7. I am good to agree to disagree.
No (2) Kind of (1) Yes (0).
The higher the score - the more ego-fixed mindset (stronger power of ego).

Welcome!
Vilija and the leadership group.

The goal of the Practical Philosophy Club is to create a community that discusses ideas that can be used practically in everyday life.
Our discussions help us develop the following:

Critical Thinking / Discernment - through our conversational exploration, we question our own beliefs, and hear perspectives that can help us develop new insights. This exploration can carry into our assumptions in everyday life and help us develop.

Communication - By sharing our thoughts, we are developing our communication ability, and learning how to share in a way that is understandable and accessible to people who may not have the same belief.

Community - By having our discussions focused on a specific topic each week, we are able to get to know each other beyond small talk. There’s also time before and after the meetup to dive deeper with the other attendees. 🙌

Most importantly, we are a group that values community and care for one another.

We meet each week in various places throughout the world. To learn more about our community, see our open events, or join one of our groups around the world, visit our website: https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/

For more information about us, check the info on our upcoming events.