---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Self wishes to create, to evolve. The…"
description: "\"“The Self wishes to create, to evolve. The Ego likes things just the way they are. —Steven Pressfield”\" — David Kadavy"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/david-kadavy-231286_identity_the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the_2691825.jpg"
---

#  The Self wishes to create, to evolve. The Ego likes things…

![“The Self wishes to create, to evolve. The Ego likes things just the way they are. —Steven Pressfield” quote by David Kadavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/david-kadavy-231286_identity_the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the_2691825.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/david-kadavy-231286_identity_the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the_2691825.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/david-kadavy-231286_identity_the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the_2691825.jpg)

> ““The Self wishes to create, to evolve. The Ego likes things just the way they are. —Steven Pressfield””

David Kadavy

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The Self seeks creation and growth, while the Ego prefers stability, illustrating internal conflict between ambition and comfort.

**In simple terms:** Self wants growth; Ego wants comfort.

Key Takeaway

Balance creative drive with healthy self‑control.

Themes

identity creativity ego growth

Mood

motivational thoughtful

Type

Identity:1 Self:1 Steven Pressfield:1 Evolve Ego:1 Ego Likes:1 Self Wishes:1 Create Evolve:1

When to use this quote

- career planning
- artistic projects
- personal change

Key Concepts

psychology self‑development

Questions to Reflect On

- What part of you resists change?
- How can you honor both creation and stability?

A Different Perspective

Ego’s resistance can stall progress if not managed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/)

## Related quotes

> [It's so important to work with material you can really mold and milk and create and evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-chung/it-s-so-important-to-work-with-material-you-can-really-mold-and-milk/)

[Jamie Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-chung/)

> [The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self--all your wishes and precautions--to Christ. But it is far easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-terrible-thing-the-almost-impossible-thing-is-to-hand-over-your/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Happiness is within everyone, but we are not able to experience it because of our ego's likes and dislikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/happiness-is-within-everyone-but-we-are-not-able-to-experience-it/)

[Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/)

> [“ the ego likes to emphasize the 'otherness' of others ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-ego-likes-to-emphasize-the-otherness-of-others/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [No one writes better historical fiction than Steven Pressfield. The Afghan War that was waged by Alexander the Great 2000 years ago is eerily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-flynn/no-one-writes-better-historical-fiction-than-steven-pressfield-the/)

[Vince Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-flynn/)

> [“Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art, identifies this reluctance. He calls it resistance. He writes, “There is a force resisting the beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/steven-pressfield-author-of-the-war-of-art-identifies-this-reluctance/)

[John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/)

> [“What is the book (or books) you’ve given most as a gift, and why? Or what are one to three books that have greatly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-is-the-book-or-books-you-ve-given-most-as-a-gift-and-why-or-what-6/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/the-amateur-believes-he-must-first-overcome-his-fear-then-he-can-do-3/)

[Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/)

> [“When inspiration touches talent, she gives birth to truth and beauty. And when Steven Pressfield was writing The War of Art, she had her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/when-inspiration-touches-talent-she-gives-birth-to-truth-and-beauty/)

[Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/)

> [“Soon after, you learn that most of the world doesn't necessarily care about what you think. It sounds harsh, but it's true. As the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-world-doesn-t-necessarily-care/)

[Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/)

> [“Steven Pressfield writes in his bestselling book The War of Art, “Self-doubt can be an ally. This is because it serves as an indicator…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/steven-pressfield-writes-in-his-bestselling-book-the-war-of-art-self/)

[Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/)

> [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/)

[Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/)

> [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/)

[Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/)

> [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/)

[Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/)

> [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/)

[Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/)

## More Identity quotes

> [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/)

[Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/)

> [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/)

[Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/)

> [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/)

[Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/)

> [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/)

[Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/)

> [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I think everybody, or the great majority of human beings, have this aspiration to become other: to live a different identity, at least for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-think-everybody-or-the-great-majority-of-human-beings-have-this/)

[Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/)

> [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/)

[S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/)

> [Tell me how much a nation knows about its own language, and I will tell you how much that nation knows about its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ciardi/tell-me-how-much-a-nation-knows-about-its-own-language-and-i-will/)

[John Ciardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ciardi/)

> [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/)

[Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/)

> [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/)

[Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/)

> [“Self-realization or self-knowing or awakening is about knowing/ becoming conscious of our true nature and living in harmony with the universe in an ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-vazhakunnathu/self-realization-or-self-knowing-or-awakening-is-about-knowing/)

[Thomas Vazhakunnathu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-vazhakunnathu/)

> [“There are some things that one individual can do for another, and there are some things that one race can do for another. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/there-are-some-things-that-one-individual-can-do-for-another-and/)

[Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/)

> [“Why were there no words that spoke positively about being concerned about the self? Why was there only negative connotation in terms like "selfish",…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-dalton/why-were-there-no-words-that-spoke-positively-about-being-concerned/)

A.J. Dalton

[Browse all 11,949 Identity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The Self wishes to create, to evolve. The Ego likes things just the way they are. —Steven Pressfield”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Kadavy"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kadavy/the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the-ego-likes-things-just-the-way/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Identity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kadavy/the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the-ego-likes-things-just-the-way/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/david-kadavy-231286_identity_the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the_2691825.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/david-kadavy-231286_identity_the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the_2691825.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/david-kadavy-231286_identity_the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the_2691825.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The Self wishes to create, to evolve. The Ego likes things just the way they are. —Steven Pressfield” — David Kadavy",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David Kadavy",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kadavy/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“The Self wishes to create, to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kadavy/the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the-ego-likes-things-just-the-way/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kadavy/the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the-ego-likes-things-just-the-way/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
