Why ego diversification is the key to less stress

A diversified ego is a healthy ego.

Getting your ass kicked at work isn't so bad when you notch a win in another area of your life, i.e. crushing it at the gym, writing something great, even just meditating for 10 minutes.

In a post on Signal v. Noise, Tim Ferriss told Matt Linderman that diversification is one of the best ways to mitigate stress and anxiety over work.

If your entire ego and identity is vested in your startup, where there are certainly factors outside of your control, you can get into a depressive funk that affects your ability to function.

So, you should also, let’s say, join a rock climbing gym. Try to improve your time in the mile. Something like that. I recommend at least one physical activity. Then even if everything goes south — you have some horrible divorce agreement with your co-founder — if you had a good week and set a personal record in the gym or on the track or wherever, that can still be a good week.

Performance consultant Travis Collier explores the idea further in his post Diversifying Your Ego:

Life is too short to have even one day be considered a “failure”.

There are multiple opportunities to find and create joy, to build habits and behaviors toward success, and to appreciate the successes you’ve achieved so far. No one cares more about your well being and success than you–if you don’t celebrate or embrace it, no one else will.

Read the post (~5 minutes)


Have a great day!

Jimmy


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