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MICRO MISCONCEPTS

Your ego can serve you or cost you

Published about 2 months ago • 1 min read

Micro Misconcepts

Your ego can serve you or cost you

25th September 2026 | Read on misconcepts.org​

From me

If your ego is based on external validation, you optimise for whatever earns you more social credits in your immediate environment, which doesn't necessarily align with what you want in life. It feels better in the moment, but over enough years those small trades add up to a life you didn't want.

If your ego is based on good iterations, you optimise for whatever earns you better misconcepts. You try new things because you aren't looking to avoid mistakes and failure. Feedback stops being something to fear, because feedback is what you're after. And every time you make a good iteration, your misconcepts reflect reality more closely, which means the decisions you make are more likely to lead to your expected results. It's uncomfortable in the moment, but over enough years that compounds into a life you actually want.

Everyone has an ego, but you can choose where you derive it from. Some sources serve you, others hinder you, so choose one that turns being wrong from a threat into progress.

​Read the full piece →​

From others

Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull on how success can blind us:

"Success convinces us that we are doing things the right way. There is nothing quite as effective, when it comes to shutting down alternative viewpoints, as being convinced you are right."

Source: Creativity, Inc. (2014)

Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius on embracing error-correction:

"If anyone can refute me—show me I'm making a mistake or looking at things from the wrong perspective—I'll gladly change. It's the truth I'm after, and the truth never harmed anyone."

Source: Meditations (c. 170 AD), translated by Gregory Hays

For you

What are you not trying because someone might see you fail?

To good iterations,

Syn Yun

P.S. Better misconcepts lead to better decisions, which lead to better actions, which lead to results that compound over time.

Learn more at misconcepts.org​

Misconcepts are the explanations we hold about how the world works, synonymous with mental models but named deliberately to acknowledge their fallibility. Misconcepts is itself a misconcept and we're always iterating. Reply to this email if you have thoughts. We'd love to hear from you.

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MICRO MISCONCEPTS

By Syn Yun and David

A weekly newsletter exploring one mental model and what a better iteration looks like. Under five minutes. Free.

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