confidence

Confidence and ego are not necessarily the same, nor are they mutually exclusive. One must have confidence to work toward one’s dreams. However, one must not let accomplishment inflate the ego. The ego consumes entirely and clouds the mind. It drives one’s mind higher into the sky and farther from reality. Clouds and life have a tendency to rain. When this happens, your fire will be dampened, you will fall back to earth, and you will feel pain and remorse. Your clouded head will rain tears. However, rain and tears are part of a growing process. Yet, one must not allow oneself to drown in remorse. One must search for the truth of why one did not succeed, how one let oneself be so blind. That is the not-so-subtle difference between ego and confidence. Never forget this, or you will be reminded of it. Also, it is better to be reminded of it in the training hall than in life