--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have an ego the size of a small planet" description: "\"I have an ego the size of a small planet\" — Linus Torvalds" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/linus-torvalds-1512_ego_i-have-an-ego-the-size-of-a-small-planet_2940172.jpg" --- # I have an ego the size of a small planet ![“I have an ego the size of a small planet” quote by Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/linus-torvalds-1512_ego_i-have-an-ego-the-size-of-a-small-planet_2940172.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/linus-torvalds-1512_ego_i-have-an-ego-the-size-of-a-small-planet_2940172.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/linus-torvalds-1512_ego_i-have-an-ego-the-size-of-a-small-planet_2940172.jpg) > “I have an ego the size of a small planet” [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive ego inflates self‑importance, hindering collaboration and growth **In simple terms:** Big ego can block teamwork Key Takeaway Keep ego in check for better teamwork Themes humility collaboration self-awareness Mood critical introspective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - software teams - startup environments - personal relationships Key Concepts psychology of ego leadership dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does your ego affect your work with others? - When is confidence beneficial versus detrimental? A Different Perspective Ego can be a source of confidence when balanced ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Ego Size](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego-size-1109504/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planet/) [Planets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planets/) [Size](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/size/) [Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small/) [Small Planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-planet-273686/) ## Related quotes > [“I allowed my ego to simultaneously be tiny and humongous at the same time. The trick was to focus on two attitudes: service and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/i-allowed-my-ego-to-simultaneously-be-tiny-and-humongous-at-the-same/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [“So his ego was the size of Uranus—and, no, the pun is not unintentional.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-nash/so-his-ego-was-the-size-of-uranus-and-no-the-pun-is-not-unintentional/) [Graham Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-nash/) > [There's no room in my life for an ego your size.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/there-s-no-room-in-my-life-for-an-ego-your-size/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [Centuries hence, when current social and political problems may seem as remote as the problems of the Thirty Years' War are to us, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/centuries-hence-when-current-social-and-political-problems-may-seem/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Astronomy defined our home as a small planet tucked away in one corner of an average galaxy among million; biology took away our status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/astronomy-defined-our-home-as-a-small-planet-tucked-away-in-one/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [We've moved from a small world on a big planet to a big world on a small planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-rockstrom/we-ve-moved-from-a-small-world-on-a-big-planet-to-a-big-world-on-a/) [Johan Rockstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-rockstrom/) > [Which aspects of our nature will prevail is uncertain, particularly when our visions and prospects are bound to one small part of the small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/which-aspects-of-our-nature-will-prevail-is-uncertain-particularly/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [From a large planet of overwhelming magnitude, unlimited resources and endless mystery, the Earth has suddenly become a small planet, thoroughly explored, limited in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/from-a-large-planet-of-overwhelming-magnitude-unlimited-resources-and/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [A pygmy standing on the outward crust of this small planet, his far-reaching spirit stretches outward to the infinite, and there alone finds rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/a-pygmy-standing-on-the-outward-crust-of-this-small-planet-his-far/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [On a small planet, where minute follows minute, day follows day, year follows year, where tradition marches on with a deafening, orderly beat -sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/on-a-small-planet-where-minute-follows-minute-day-follows-day-year/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/for-in-the-final-analysis-our-most-basic-common-link-is-that-we-all/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [The life that we see on our small planet is not necessarily a great reflection of the entire universe. The people are beautiful, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-life-that-we-see-on-our-small-planet-is-not-necessarily-a-great/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“In the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/in-the-final-analysis-our-most-basic-common-link-is-that-we-all/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [“Every good operative knows that the world is small, but the planet is big.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/every-good-operative-knows-that-the-world-is-small-but-the-planet-is/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [You'd chosen to be an upright biped on the surface of a small planet of a minor sun on the edge of a minor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/you-d-chosen-to-be-an-upright-biped-on-the-surface-of-a-small-planet/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) ## More by Linus Torvalds > [Once you realize that documentation should be laughed at, peed upon, put on fire, and just ridiculed in general, then, and only then, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/once-you-realize-that-documentation-should-be-laughed-at-peed-upon/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [I think, fundamentally, open source does tend to be more stable software. It's the right way to do things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-think-fundamentally-open-source-does-tend-to-be-more-stable/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [I used to be interested in Windows NT, but the more I see it, the more it looks like traditional Windows with a stabler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-used-to-be-interested-in-windows-nt-but-the-more-i-see-it-the-more/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [I think that freely available software can not only keep up with the evolution of commercial software, but often exceed what you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-think-that-freely-available-software-can-not-only-keep-up-with-the/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [Programmers are in the enviable position of not only getting to do what they want to, but because the end result is so important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/programmers-are-in-the-enviable-position-of-not-only-getting-to-do/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [The NIH syndrome (Not Invented Here) is a disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/the-nih-syndrome-not-invented-here-is-a-disease/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [The correct form factor for a laptop is obviously 12" and 2 lbs, and I don't understand why everybody gets that wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/the-correct-form-factor-for-a-laptop-is-obviously-12-and-2-lbs-and-i/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [Hmmm, completely a-religious - atheist. I find that people seem to think religion brings morals and appreciation of nature. I actually think it detracts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/hmmm-completely-a-religious-atheist-i-find-that-people-seem-to-think/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [People will realize that software is not a product; you use it to build a product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/people-will-realize-that-software-is-not-a-product-you-use-it-to/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [I claim that Mach people (and apparently FreeBSD) are incompetent idiots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-claim-that-mach-people-and-apparently-freebsd-are-incompetent-idiots/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [There are "extremists" in the free software world, but that's one major reason why I don't call what I do "free software" any more.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/there-are-extremists-in-the-free-software-world-but-that-s-one-major/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [Real quality means making sure that people are proud of the code they write, that they're involved and taking it personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/real-quality-means-making-sure-that-people-are-proud-of-the-code-they/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [I have one very basic rule when it comes to "good ideas". A good idea is not an idea that solves a problem cleanly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-have-one-very-basic-rule-when-it-comes-to-good-ideas-a-good-idea-is/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [I've never regretted not making Linux shareware: I really don't like the pay for use binary shareware programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-ve-never-regretted-not-making-linux-shareware-i-really-don-t-like/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [Modern PCs are horrible. ACPI is a complete design disaster in every way. But we're kind of stuck with it. If any Intel people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/modern-pcs-are-horrible-acpi-is-a-complete-design-disaster-in-every/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) [Explore all 233 Linus Torvalds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) ## More Ego quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [I love playing ego and insecurity combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/i-love-playing-ego-and-insecurity-combined/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [“sometimes when everything seems at its worst when all conspires and gnaws and the hours, days, weeks years seem wasted – stretched there upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-when-everything-seems-at-its-worst-when-all-conspires-and/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I'm a straight shooter, and most of the time my ego doesn't interrupt my relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-macht/i-m-a-straight-shooter-and-most-of-the-time-my-ego-doesn-t-interrupt/) [Gabriel Macht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-macht/) > [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“There are two kinds of people: goal-oriented and ego-oriented. Goal-oriented people work together and get things gone. Ego-oriented people don’t work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charbel-tadros/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-goal-oriented-and-ego-oriented-goal/) [Charbel Tadros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charbel-tadros/) > [Heart surgeons do not have the world's smallest egos: when you ask them to name the world's three leading practitioners, they never can remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/heart-surgeons-do-not-have-the-world-s-smallest-egos-when-you-ask/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [I hate acting when I see it. I don't want to feel it, I don't want to see it, I want to be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-hauer/i-hate-acting-when-i-see-it-i-don-t-want-to-feel-it-i-don-t-want-to/) [Rutger Hauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-hauer/) > [It's a constant man-ego-check going on in the streets, in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/it-s-a-constant-man-ego-check-going-on-in-the-streets-in-this-world/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [“... a man doesn't like to have his ego popped, especially when he prides himself on his sagacity, and then to be proved wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/a-man-doesn-t-like-to-have-his-ego-popped-especially-when-he-prides/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [Our real nature is not our imaginary, limited ego. Our true nature is vast, all-comprehensive, and intangible as empty space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anagarika-govinda/our-real-nature-is-not-our-imaginary-limited-ego-our-true-nature-is/) [Anagarika Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anagarika-govinda/) > [The man of wisdom is devoid of ego even though he may appear to use it. His vacant or fasting mind is neither doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramesh-s-balsekar/the-man-of-wisdom-is-devoid-of-ego-even-though-he-may-appear-to-use/) [Ramesh S Balsekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramesh-s-balsekar/) > [Show me success without ego!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivana-trump/show-me-success-without-ego/) [Ivana Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivana-trump/) [Browse all 3,462 Ego quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have an ego the size of a small planet", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Linus Torvalds" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-have-an-ego-the-size-of-a-small-planet/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ego" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-have-an-ego-the-size-of-a-small-planet/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/linus-torvalds-1512_ego_i-have-an-ego-the-size-of-a-small-planet_2940172.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/linus-torvalds-1512_ego_i-have-an-ego-the-size-of-a-small-planet_2940172.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/linus-torvalds-1512_ego_i-have-an-ego-the-size-of-a-small-planet_2940172.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have an ego the size of a small planet” — Linus Torvalds", "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": "Linus Torvalds", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have an ego the size...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-have-an-ego-the-size-of-a-small-planet/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-have-an-ego-the-size-of-a-small-planet/#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 } } ] } ```