The ego is a fragile construction. It feeds on identification: with your role, your title, your achievements, your possessions, your story. It must be defended, polished, and protected - precisely because it isnโt who you truly are.
From a higher perspective, this becomes obvious. The โselfโ we so fiercely guard is not essence but identification.
In my work with leaders, I often see how much energy is spent on defending and maintaining this fragile construction. And I know this dynamic myself - because my own path has led me through the very same struggles, with all the cliffs and challenges that come with it.
For many leaders this perspective is not (yet) accessible. Thatโs okay. It is deeply human.
In fact, development usually requires a crucial step before we can transcend identity: we must first build one.
The ability to stand in oneโs own truth, independent of the authority of groups, experts, or external validation, is already a profound achievement.
Only then can we take the next step - to see that even this hard-won identity is not our deepest essence, but another layer that can be questioned and ultimately released.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ?
Because the way we perceive ourselves shapes the way we lead.
If we ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, we are unconsciously ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ซ of loss, ๐ก๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ for recognition, and ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐๐ก๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ to status.
If we ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐, we lead from ๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ. Decisions become less about protecting โmeโ - and more about ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ truth, people, and the whole.
This shift changes everything:
- Less defense, more openness.
- Less fear, more courage.
- Less attachment, more service.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐?
Not by rejecting your current identity, but by gently questioning it. By practicing awareness. By noticing when your ego is grasping. By exploring moments of stillness where no role needs to be performed. This is vertical growth - not adding more, but seeing deeper.
In my own journey, and in the journeys I have supported as a coach, I have witnessed how demanding this path can be. But I have also always seen how liberating it becomes once glimpses of essence appear.
๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ: ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐.
What part of your leadership today is still driven by identity - and what might open up if you began leading from essence?