Are You Creating Content From the Heart or Ego?

Questions for clarity of heart, intention, and integrity

First, I’d like to say that I am sharing this from my personal expereince and observation of creating from both of these spaces: Heart and Ego.

What I mean by the heart space is: alignment, flow, joy, inspiration, upliftment, and empowerment.

And what I mean by the ego space is: a self-centered focus, sharing from a space of superiority, or of wanting to be superior. An exalted focus on the image of you to the eyes of others.

These are spaces that we can create from. One is simply more conducive of promoting growth and alignment within self and others. Each time you create a piece of content, whether the medium is writing, video, audio, or visual— you are sharing a frequency and spreading it out into the world. From what frequency (intentional space within yourself) you share is therefore important to become aware of and hone in—this is your vibrational footprint.

Second, ego is not inherently bad. This is not what I am saying. From my podcast with Jeff Lieberman, at (1:30:35), we explored the importance of creating a healthy ego structure and how it aids in our ability to integrate into the world.

Pause and ask yourself: Why am I doing this?

This is a non-judgmental, curious exploration of the internal spaces you create from.

Is it the ego creeping up and creating from a space of lack of worthiness from within?

Is it genuine excitement and joy for the process of creating, for what it is you are sharing?

Or is it an excitement about how sharing x will enhance your image, mainly focusing on how your external image will benefit?

How much is it about you? vs. How much is it about the creation and the ripple it carries?

I love how Alexis Rakun put it in the description of this Instagram post:

Get over yourself. & give yourself over to ~ something ~ instead. It's not about you. It's about the magic.

It’s about the magic! The magic of Creation itself that you get to dance with. And realize that you are made of this magic, too.

Anxiety/Fear: Says that you have to produce or you will be a failure. Says that nothing you do will ever be good enough. Says that you need to be a certain way to be loved and admired.

• You see how it is entirely self-focused? It assigns a link between the performance of your creation to the inherent value of you.

Love: Says that you are right on time and beautiful creations are coming, that they are already here for you to engage with. That there is already so much magic present here. It says: “Get out of your way, won’t you, so you can let it in.”

• You see how it is playful and interactive?

Are you creating from a space of empowerment and positive impact on others, or from a space of an egoic desire of superiority and social status? Of filling up an empty cup with likes and energy from others? Is what you are sharing honest to who you are, is it in alignment with your heart and soul, or is it distorted by what you think you should be in order to be liked? It could be somewhere in between. No need to criticize yourself. If you feel wobbly, simply bring awareness by tuning in and honestly asking yourself:

Why am I doing this? What space am I creating from?

These questions refine your vibration by bringing you closer to the authentic you. As you notice what space you are creating from, you see how it aligns with or contrasts with the space you’d like to be creating from.

And then, the final question stands: Are you presenting yourself authentically? And when you are, it is no longer about presenting yourself in any particular way; you instead get out of your own way and, as Mike Posner sang, you “be as you are.”

Rule of Thumb: What is in alignment with you, create from there; this promotes alignment within others.

We get so much in our way because we think it is all about us. And no shade, much of our world lives for the appearances, for upping their image in hopes that it will translate into social status. So much of our world lives for this in one way or another—it’s the game of fear-based survival. The online content creation space, whether it is Substack, YouTube, Instagram, or any other platform, it has us face this aspect about our world. It has us face this aspect within ourselves. In what ways are you interacting with this online space from a space of connection or disconnection to the Truth that resides within?

Not about perfection!

Please don’t read this and feel the need to overanalyze if you are acting out of ego, and proceed to get stuck in perfectionism paralysis. If you are acting out of perfectionism, you are acting out of the ego. The self-sabotaging side of ego. The “it must be perfect or I am worthless, and it doesn’t matter.” The scrutinizing of oneself into a perfectly polished shape is not a frequency of creating from the heart. Do you see this? Do you see how you can let go now? Do you see how you can get out of your own way when you are in the heart? The heart dissolves and melts the ego’s resistance. Not through judgment, but through love. The heart loves, and it melts all things that are of disconnection. So let it.

What you authentically have to share now is valid, and it is valuable. Affirming this for yourself is not of ego; it is of self-recognition and self-love. Check out:

I welcome and encourage any reflections in the comments.