is ego a good thing or bad thing for exercise?
 

I've always thought of the ego as a negative thing in most cases. I've always thought of as something that makes you want to prove something your not, makes do things for the wrong reasons and always fails to yield the results you set after.

Then I got thinking, in terms of exercise and sport, is there not an element of ego and pride behind competition, the drive to improve and grow and the need to prove something to oneself?

My main question is, how does ego influence exercise?

Does it hinder progress or does it induce it?

For me, ego really hinders improvement in sports.

When you play basketball for example, I find that when I am relaxed and I play for the sake of the game, I can play the game better.

But if I play to show off, then my performance plummets.

People think they need the ego to motivate them forward. You could just as easily argue the ego is good for anything as you could for sport. If I didn't feel bad about not having money I wouldn't ever be driven to go out and make any. But you can still do something well for the love of yourself or that thing, and even enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done without it being ego driven. You can recognize the need to have more income, just the simple recognition that it is helpful to have money to live without it becoming about a need for money and all the things you may fantasize it will bring you.You could have the desire to win be a motivation too as long as it doesn't overtake and you feel like you have to win in order to be happy.

I look at it as using the ego to work for you rather than against you.
I do a lot of diet/exercise for the sake of looking good which is an ego thing but all things considered it ends up being productive to health as well.

Except when I get out of shape it makes it that much more annoying. But that serves as motivation to get back in shape. So I don't fight the egos urges in that area.

That's interesting.

Would you say that when your ego motivates you, that its a short term or long term motivation?

What do you think are the aspects or contexts of that ego that actually serve as a motivator?

I just started reading the book "A New Earth Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle. Although I just started it does go into great length about the ego. I think you might like it if you want to know more about the ego.

I think ego is good enough for exercise.
Its motivate to do exercise but take it in positive way.

Oh it's long term. I've been training 20+ years, since 17.

I think there are 2 aspects, one is the ego desire to have a beautiful physique. It's an ongoing pursuit, a temporary achievement and only one aspect of overall "beauty". It's also subjective but there is a certain amount of muscle and leanness that if a male has I find it to be an attractive body. So I aspire to that.

It's not much different than seeing someone in a particular hairstyle and outfit and thinking "I would like to have that look" then taking steps to achieve that.
In that case you simply to to the salon and to the Gap.

The other thing is my ego's desire to look like someone......I'll say "strong".
Probably from being picked on in Junior high.
My wife used to say "Y'know you scare people when you get really big, you look like a monster. Why do you want to look like a scary monster?"

I try to draw the line in terms of letting the ego effect my personality (try) but encourage it as a motivator. By now I fully accept it as an aspect of myself.

No, not at all. Ego doesn't work for me.