Ego and Soul – Balancing Vision and Ambition

I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and

behold, service was joy. — Rabindranath Tagore

In examining the outcomes, actions and mindset associated with successful performance, Success

Factor Modeling also takes into account that fact that each person, team or organization are what

Arthur Koestler called a “holon.” On the one hand, they are whole and independent systems in and of

themselves. On the other hand, they are also part of successively bigger systems that include but

transcend the individual, team or organization.

Thus, Success Factor Modeling views our lives and motivations as driven by two complementary

aspects of our identities: those emerging from (1) our existence as a separate, independent whole and

those arising from (2) our existence as a part of a larger whole (e.g., family, profession, community,

etc.). The part of our existence that we experience as an individual whole we typically call our ego.

The part of our existence that we experience as a holon (part of a larger whole) can be referred to as

our soul .

According to psychoanalysis, the ego is “the part of the psyche that mediates between the

conscious and the unconscious and is responsible for reality testing and a sense of personal identity.”

Thus, the ego has to do with the development and preservation of our sense of a separate self,

perceiving reality from our own independent and isolated perspective.

At the level of environment, the ego tends to focus on dangers and constraints, and the pursuit of

short-term gain and pleasure. Consequently, at the level of behavior, the ego tends to be more

reactive to external conditions. The capabilities associated with the ego are generally those connected

with the conscious cognitive intellect such as analysis and strategy. At the level of beliefs and values

the ego focuses on safety, security, approval, control, achievement and self-benefit. A sense of

permission is typically needed in order engage fully in some activity; the sense that one should,

shouldn’t, needs to or must not do something. At the identity level, ego relates to our social roles and

who we feel we should be or need to be to get approval or acknowledgement. At the level of spirit or

purpose of the ego is oriented toward survival, recognition and ambition.

From the NLP perspective, the ego can be considered a cognitively constructed map or model of

one’s “self” as a separate entity and a natural developmental process. These notions of “reality” and

“self” associated with the ego, however, are influenced by external references such as social norms,

cultural values and family patterns. Like all maps or models, it is necessarily shaped by the processes

of deletion, distortion and generalization. When these distortions create too much disconnection and

separation from the actual territory and potential (superposition) of ourselves they can create

symptoms. Some characteristics of an unhealthy ego take the form of either self-inflation —pride,

arrogance, self-importance, narcissism and self-infatuation—or self-depreciation —self-judgment,

depression, self-criticism, lack of self-worth and self-confidence, etc. These can lead us to become

overly gripped by greed, fear and survival strategies (fight, flight, freeze).

The “soul” is a term used to refer to the deepest part of a person’s nature and is expressed as a

special quality of “emotional or intellectual energy or intensity.” The soul is the unique life force,

essence or energy that we come into the world with and that comes into the world through us. As a

newborn baby, for instance, we do not yet have an ego, but we have a unique energy and being that is

the foundation for our identity. This energy is expressed through our bodies and our interface with the

larger systems surrounding us. Because the soul is an energetic “deep structure,” it is not associated

with any particular content—and therefore is not constructed from influences such as society, culture

and family. It does, however, express itself in the form of contribution to these as larger systems.

Thus, rather than being an objectified or separate self, the soul is our expression of an unfolding,

connected being.

At the level of environment, the soul tends to focus on opportunities for expression and

contribution. As a result, at the level of behavior the soul tends to respond more proactively to

external conditions. The capabilities associated with the soul are generally those related to the

perception and expression of energy and emotional intelligence. At the level of beliefs and values, the

soul focuses on internal motivations such as service, contribution, connection, being, expansion and

awakening. At the identity level, soul relates to our mission and the unique gifts that we bring into the

world. At the level of spirit or purpose of the soul is oriented toward our vision of what we want to

create in the world through us but that is beyond us.

From this perspective, we can say that the ego creates the “channel” through which the “vitality”

and “life force” of the soul is expressed into the world. When the ego is healthy aligned with our soul,

the channel is open. When the ego is inflated, deflated, rigid or gripped by survival strategies, the

channel is constricted or closed.

From the perspective of Success Factor Modeling, both of these aspects, ego and soul, are

necessary for a healthy and successful existence. The primary questions relating to our ego are about

what we want to achieve for ourselves in terms our ambition and role : “What type of life do I want to

create for myself?” and “What type of person do I need to be in order to create the life I want?” These

are about living out our dreams for ourselves. The primary questions with respect to the soul are

those related to our vision and mission for the larger systems of which we are a part: “What do I want

to create in the world through me that is beyond me?” and “What is my unique contribution to

bringing that vision into expression?”

In the SFM approach, these distinctions of ego (one’s self as an independent whole) and soul

(ourselves as holons that are a part of a bigger system) are combined together with the various levels

of success factors, as shown in the following diagram.

Levels of Factors Relating to “Ego” and “Soul” in Individuals and Organizations

The complementary dimensions of ego and soul tend to bring out a different emphasis for each

level of success factors. The ego side accentuates ambition, role, the importance of permission,

strategy and appropriate reactions to constraints and potential dangers in the environment. The soul

side puts priority on vision, mission, inner motivation and activating the energy and emotional

intelligence needed to proactively take advantage of environmental opportunities.

Research with Success Factor Modeling indicates that the highest levels of performance of an

individual, team or organization occur when the levels of success factors related to both ego and soul

are balanced, aligned and integrated. Clarifying and aligning one’s vision, mission, ambition and role

are an essential part of achieving this balance and integration. These four guideposts are the

foundations of a successful entrepreneurial mindset and form the basis for the projects and ventures

we undertake as entrepreneurs.

On a deeper level, however, our vision, mission, ambition and role are all expressions of the

fundamental life force that we bring into the world through our bodies and minds. We know and

connect to this fundamental life force through our personal sense of passion .

Ego, Soul and Organizations

The dynamic between ego and soul operates in a similar way in a company or organization. The ego

of the company is made up of the owners and shareholders, whose concern is with the survival,

financial profitability (“bottom line”) and return on investment. This is reflected by the ambition of

the organization and its members in terms of status and level of performance.

The soul of the organization is the value it provides for customers and the larger social and

physical environment. This is created by the vision of the organization and the unique contribution

and mission of the organization and its members with respect to the larger systems which it serves.

Team members and employees clearly operate in the middle of these two dimensions and need to

find the proper balance between the two in order to effectively do their jobs and serve their purpose.

When an organization leans more to the “ego” side, emphasis is more on management and

bureaucracy. Environmental constraints and dangers take priority and the company starts to focus on

reacting properly, analyzing situations correctly and following the proper plans and strategies.

Permission is required before any action can be taken and team members must stick to their

proscribed roles.

When an organization is more “soul” leaning, emphasis goes more toward leadership and

entrepreneurial activities. The environmental focus is more opportunities and proactive risk-taking is

encouraged. Energy and emotional intelligence are as much a part of guiding decision-making

process as strategy. Values related to a customer-focused vision and mission determine the priorities,

which provide the inspiration and motivation for action.

In both individuals and organizations it is important to keep a balance between the two. The

bigger your vision, the more ambition you need in order to reach it. Similarly, the bigger your

ambition, the more important it is for your vision to expand. Ego without soul creates “blind

ambition.” Soul without ego can lead to impotence and “burnout.”

When we “CRASH,” we no longer perceive ourselves as a holon. We lose our connection to our

soul, and everything becomes more difficult. When we confront an outer obstacle from the CRASH

state, we experience it as an unsolvable problem.

Being able to achieve and maintain the COACH state, especially in difficult and challenging

circumstances, is one of the most important individual success factors defined by SFM. One

procedure to accomplish this begins by sitting or standing in a comfortable position with both feet flat

on the floor and your spine erect but relaxed (i.e., “in your vertical axis”).

1. Bring your attention to your belly center (just below the naval and in the physical center of

your body) and breathe into it.

2. Breathe into your chest and open your attention to include your whole body and your

surroundings.

3. Become aware of the three-dimensional volume of your body; then continue expand your

awareness to include the space below your feet, above your head, behind you, in front of you,

to your left and to your right.

4. Experience a sense of connection inwardly (being sure to include your head, heart, belly and

feet) and outwardly (to the Earth through your feet, to the cosmos through the top of your

head, and to the environment around you) so that you feel both being whole and part of

something larger than you.

5. Imagine projecting a sense of calm, confidence and curiosity into the space (holding

environment) you sense around you.

There are, of course, many other ways to achieve the equivalent of the COACH state. Meditation

and other mindfulness practices can lead to similar experiences of being simultaneously an

independent whole and a holon. The best approach is to find what works for you and practice it

regularly.