Creatives and Big Egos

What’s one the one thing you think of when you hear Kanye West? Let me take a wide guess, you’re probably thinking in lines of:

G.O.A.T, Insane, Egoistic and Kim Kardashian

You just rolled your eyes on the last thing, but it did come up in your head subconsciously. Anyway, the point is, Kanye West is known for being so good at his art. However, he tends to act insane and often has too much of a big ego to get accustomed to. The ego, a huge problem that most creatives are known of, and something often frowned on.

ego,

your idea or opinion of yourself, especially your feeling of your own importance and ability

Cambridge Dictionary

Do not get me wrong, a lot of creatives have big egos, however, it is not all bad. The nature of creativity requires one to truly understand their ability and importance in bringing change to their community or world at large. To back me up, Gina Alyse described creativity as:

Creativity is putting our thoughts into motion and turning the intangible into something we can feel.

Being a creative is about sharing your thoughts and ideas with those that grant you an audience. And, in order to convince people, one needs to truly believe in their crafts and their abilities. Granted, some people often go overboard and start to sound a little self-centered and conceited, however, having an ego in the creative industry is a blessing in disguise.

why people dislike egos in creatives

There are many reasons why people often frown upon artists that show their egos. One of the reasons I have gotten to learn (which if I could add annoys me) is that often, people see creatives and their art as just mere hobbies. A hobby to write, sing, paint, draw, and all that. Many forget that a lot of creatives are trying hard to survive on their arts. Their art is a gateway to a decent living and lifestyle.

Thus, when creatives show a huge confidence in what they do, many will see it as just a stroke of the ego. Forgetting that such confidence is needed in every field of work. You cannot be a renown surgeon if you have no confidence in your work, neither can you be a great accountant or businessman. In each field of work, an ego is needed to boost you to achieve everything you aspire for.

However, there are times when creatives go overboard.

when egos turn into delusions

There is a fine line between being egoistic and being plain delusional. Yes, there are creatives who are not egoistic but rather delusional. They believe they are someone or something other than themselves. A great example is if I believed I was the second coming of J.K Rowling when it comes to my writing. Or, if an artist thought themselves as Michael Jackson.

Such creatives live in a false reality and believe in their made-up fantasies. They are too far unattached from the real world and walk around in a haze. A better professional term for that is a delusion of grandeur. It is explained as

a delusion of grandeur is a person’s belief that they are someone other than who they are, such as a supernatural figure or a celebrity. A delusion of grandeur may also be a belief that they have special abilities, possessions, or powers.

stroking egos

Like I have said, having an ego as a creative is not bad at all. It actually helps push you and promote your art. That is, with the right strategies. However, we ought to look at when those around you stroke your ego instead of helping your craft.

This can happen in many ways, but the most common ones are the “Yes man.” These are people who will always praise your art no matter how ridiculous it is. They will never give you any positive criticism, they are just there to feed your ego and make you feel good. They watch you put out the worst work on the line with the pretence that it is the best work they have seen from you.

Those people are just there to stroke your ego honey. To make you feel good. Not that anyone should ever make you feel bad, even when you put out the worst work. But, have people that will criticize your work and give you tips that can help you improve. People that genuinely understand your confidence and keep it in store, while helping you reach greater heights.

Those are people every creative should have in their corner. So, the next you hear music from your friend (who should just stop), read a bad blog post from me (wink), or a bad painting from your friend. Instead of being a yes man, critically listen, read or see and share tips.

With that being said, what are your thoughts on the topic above? Comment section is open, share your ideas.