--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Ego, however, is not who you really…" description: "\"The Ego, however, is not who you really are. The ego is your self-image; it is your social mask; it is the role you are playing. Your social mask thriv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/deepak-chopra-63_approval_the-ego-however-is-not-who-you-really-ar_1033892.jpg" --- # The Ego, however, is not who you really are. The ego is… ![“The Ego, however, is not who you really are. The ego is your self-image; it is your social mask; it is the role you are playing. Your social mask thrives on approval. It wants control, and it is sustained by power, because it lives in fear.” quote by Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/deepak-chopra-63_approval_the-ego-however-is-not-who-you-really-ar_1033892.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/deepak-chopra-63_approval_the-ego-however-is-not-who-you-really-ar_1033892.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/deepak-chopra-63_approval_the-ego-however-is-not-who-you-really-ar_1033892.jpg) > “The Ego, however, is not who you really are. The ego is your self-image; it is your social mask; it is the role you are playing. Your social mask thrives on approval. It wants control, and it is sustained by power, because it lives in fear.” [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The ego is a constructed self‑image and social role driven by fear, approval, and power, not the true self. **In simple terms:** Ego is a mask, not the real self. Key Takeaway Observe and detach from egoic patterns. Themes identity ego self‑knowledge Mood introspective calming Type spiritual self‑help When to use this quote - meditation - therapy - leadership development Key Concepts psychology spirituality philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What parts of your identity are ego‑driven? - How can you nurture the authentic self? A Different Perspective Ego can protect us, making change difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) [Being yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-yourself/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Ego Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego-really-1824437/) [Ego Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego-self/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Mask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mask/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Really Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-ego-2073639/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-image/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social Mask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-mask-1474083/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Thrive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrive/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [It's not about ego. Really. If it was ego, I'd be telling you about my awesome... oh, never mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-perens/it-s-not-about-ego-really-if-it-was-ego-i-d-be-telling-you-about-my/) [Bruce Perens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-perens/) > [When you abide in the I you're abiding in the ego. The I is really the ego, the small I. It turns into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/when-you-abide-in-the-i-you-re-abiding-in-the-ego-the-i-is-really-the/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [It takes a lot of bravery to be authentic and honest and to take that social mask off in order to connect with another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-schilling/it-takes-a-lot-of-bravery-to-be-authentic-and-honest-and-to-take-that/) [Taylor Schilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-schilling/) > [“...the only way out consists of using a social mask. This is why those under depression will smile more as well as make efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-brightlife/the-only-way-out-consists-of-using-a-social-mask-this-is-why-those/) [Mark Brightlife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-brightlife/) > [We all have a social mask, right? We put it on, we go out, put our best foot forward, our best image. But behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-mcgraw/we-all-have-a-social-mask-right-we-put-it-on-we-go-out-put-our-best/) [Phil McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-mcgraw/) > [A person never knows their own true face. Everybody thinks that the phoney, posed social mask they wear is their real face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shusaku-endo/a-person-never-knows-their-own-true-face-everybody-thinks-that-the/) [Shusaku Endo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shusaku-endo/) > [Gratitude is a divine attitude in the wisdom traditions. It takes you out from the ego self and takes you into the higher self.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/gratitude-is-a-divine-attitude-in-the-wisdom-traditions-it-takes-you/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [To be successful, you really have to put your ego in the background and try to be diplomatic to achieve what you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-adam/to-be-successful-you-really-have-to-put-your-ego-in-the-background/) [Ken Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-adam/) > [I don't really have an ego. I'm not that bothered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjork/i-don-t-really-have-an-ego-i-m-not-that-bothered/) [Bjork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjork/) > [The thing I like to stress about TV is that it's a team exercise. You really can't have too much of an ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monty-don/the-thing-i-like-to-stress-about-tv-is-that-it-s-a-team-exercise-you/) [Monty Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monty-don/) > [As big as my ego may be, I'm really not of the belief that I can't be replaced. I didn't invent the wheel. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-stanley/as-big-as-my-ego-may-be-i-m-really-not-of-the-belief-that-i-can-t-be/) [Paul Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-stanley/) > [I think it helps to have a good old-fashioned trajectory, plodding along. Obviously one has an ego and it's really easy to have that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-marie-duff/i-think-it-helps-to-have-a-good-old-fashioned-trajectory-plodding/) [Anne-Marie Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-marie-duff/) > [All ego really is, is our opinions, which we take to be solid, real, and the absolute truth about how things are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/all-ego-really-is-is-our-opinions-which-we-take-to-be-solid-real-and/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Of course , if I am nothing but an ego, and woman is nothing but another ego, then there is really no vital difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-lawrence/of-course-if-i-am-nothing-but-an-ego-and-woman-is-nothing-but-another/) [David Herbert Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-lawrence/) > [For people who have done comedy after a certain point in time, I think there's a base level of, 'O.K., I think I'm decently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/for-people-who-have-done-comedy-after-a-certain-point-in-time-i-think/) [Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/) ## More by Deepak Chopra > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“Molecules form and dissolve, returning to the primordial soup of atoms. But consciousness survives the death of the molecules on which it rides. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/molecules-form-and-dissolve-returning-to-the-primordial-soup-of-atoms/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Unbounded awareness is the reservoir of possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/unbounded-awareness-is-the-reservoir-of-possibilities/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Spiritual awareness is not only one of the keys to the healing process. Spiritual awareness is the only way that healing can occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/spiritual-awareness-is-not-only-one-of-the-keys-to-the-healing/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [All experiences are either positive for your brain or negative. If you maximize the positive ones, you are shaping the brain you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/all-experiences-are-either-positive-for-your-brain-or-negative-if-you/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [There are only 2 responses to the world, fear or love. Your life depends on which one you choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/there-are-only-2-responses-to-the-world-fear-or-love-your-life/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [If you take the the insults of your fellow human beings personally, you will be offended for the rest of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-take-the-the-insults-of-your-fellow-human-beings-personally/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [A person desperately searching for love," Merlin said, "reminds me of a fish desperately searching for water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/a-person-desperately-searching-for-love-merlin-said-reminds-me-of-a/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Fighting your ego is a melodrama of the ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/fighting-your-ego-is-a-melodrama-of-the-ego/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The same faint song is heard in everything: "Behold yourself".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-same-faint-song-is-heard-in-everything-behold-yourself/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“All creativity is based on quantum leaps and uncertainty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/all-creativity-is-based-on-quantum-leaps-and-uncertainty/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The soul knows everything. Be who you are and your life will transform forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-soul-knows-everything-be-who-you-are-and-your-life-will-transform/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The willingness to reach inside every part of yourself opens the door to total understanding. You place your entire identity on the line, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-willingness-to-reach-inside-every-part-of-yourself-opens-the-door/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Be willing to redefine yourself every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/be-willing-to-redefine-yourself-every-day/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [To have weakness is not to be flawed--it's to be complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/to-have-weakness-is-not-to-be-flawed-it-s-to-be-complete/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) [Explore all 1,675 Deepak Chopra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) ## More Approval quotes > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [we need not avoid our active lives, but simply bring to them a new vision and shift of gravity. for in the center we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-need-not-avoid-our-active-lives-but-simply-bring-to-them-a-new/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Lean too much on the approval of people, and it becomes a bed of thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehyi-hsieh/lean-too-much-on-the-approval-of-people-and-it-becomes-a-bed-of-thorns/) [Tehyi Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehyi-hsieh/) > [But I always reassure them that as far as my contractual rights can go, I will protect them and make sure that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/but-i-always-reassure-them-that-as-far-as-my-contractual-rights-can/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [Growing up in that fashion is a breeding ground for insecurity and doubt; it also leaves you questioning motives. It took me a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-runyon/growing-up-in-that-fashion-is-a-breeding-ground-for-insecurity-and/) [Damon Runyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-runyon/) > [A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the supreme court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/a-year-ago-my-approval-rating-was-in-the-30s-my-nominee-for-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [These days people are mean to people just because they don't like the way they look. No-one should be hated because of their flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/these-days-people-are-mean-to-people-just-because-they-don-t-like-the/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I got this emptiness inside that got me fighting for approval because I missed out on my daddy saying, Way to Go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/i-got-this-emptiness-inside-that-got-me-fighting-for-approval-because/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [My dad taught me swears when I was a toddler, and I saw, at a really early age, that if I shocked people, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/my-dad-taught-me-swears-when-i-was-a-toddler-and-i-saw-at-a-really/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Comedy is a very approval-oriented field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/comedy-is-a-very-approval-oriented-field/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [Whenever you are too worried about someone else's approval, that person loses respect for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-argov/whenever-you-are-too-worried-about-someone-else-s-approval-that/) [Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/) > [Pleasure is Nature's test, her sign of approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/pleasure-is-nature-s-test-her-sign-of-approval/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Do you really mean the only reason you try to be good is to gain God's approval and reward? That's not morality, that's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/do-you-really-mean-the-only-reason-you-try-to-be-good-is-to-gain-god/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) [Browse all 904 Approval quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Ego, however, is not who you really are. The ego is your self-image; it is your social mask; it is the role you are playing. Your social mask thrives on approval. 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