--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even though we want huge individual egos…" description: "\"Even though we want huge individual egos, our collective ego is unbelievable.\" — Mike Krzyzewski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/mike-krzyzewski-2324_basketball_even-though-we-want-huge-individual-egos_1945575.png" --- # Even though we want huge individual egos, our collective… ![“Even though we want huge individual egos, our collective ego is unbelievable.” quote by Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/mike-krzyzewski-2324_basketball_even-though-we-want-huge-individual-egos_1945575.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/mike-krzyzewski-2324_basketball_even-though-we-want-huge-individual-egos_1945575.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/mike-krzyzewski-2324_basketball_even-though-we-want-huge-individual-egos_1945575.png) > “Even though we want huge individual egos, our collective ego is unbelievable.” [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Individual ego is small compared to the power of a united group. **In simple terms:** Team strength outweighs personal pride. Key Takeaway Prioritize collective goals over self‑interest. Themes teamwork humility leadership Mood motivational reflective Type leadership inspirational When to use this quote - sports teams - workplace projects - community initiatives Key Concepts social psychology group dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you contribute to team success? - What habits foster collective pride? A Different Perspective Strong individuals may dominate and disrupt harmony. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Egos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egos/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) ## Related quotes > [The distinction between children and adults, while probably useful for some purposes, is at bottom a specious one, I feel. There are only individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/the-distinction-between-children-and-adults-while-probably-useful-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Many fear the loss of the Ego, but it is actually gain. When a person loses the Ego, she can become One with All.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sienna-mcquillen/many-fear-the-loss-of-the-ego-but-it-is-actually-gain-when-a-person/) [Sienna McQuillen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sienna-mcquillen/) > [The personal ego already has a strong element of dysfunction, but the collective ego is, frequently, even more dysfunctional, to the point of absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-personal-ego-already-has-a-strong-element-of-dysfunction-but-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [In the West, as well as some other parts of the world, the personal sense of ego tends to predominate, whereas in other areas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/in-the-west-as-well-as-some-other-parts-of-the-world-the-personal/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [God is the collective ego of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/god-is-the-collective-ego-of-the-world/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I came from the music business, which reputedly has the biggest egos, but I really think the airline world caps it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-fernandes/i-came-from-the-music-business-which-reputedly-has-the-biggest-egos/) [Tony Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-fernandes/) > [“Because it's indeed difficult to portray, in any meaningful depth, another being, his appearance, speech, mentality, without to some degree, and often for quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/because-it-s-indeed-difficult-to-portray-in-any-meaningful-depth/) [truman capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Science is full of egos and arrogance, but it is fuller of simple moments of pleasure at the joy of finding some gem of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-dunn/science-is-full-of-egos-and-arrogance-but-it-is-fuller-of-simple/) [Rob Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-dunn/) > [The truth is that while men, in our society, are encouraged to have strong egos and to function in competitive, aggressive, intellectualized modes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starhawk/the-truth-is-that-while-men-in-our-society-are-encouraged-to-have/) [Starhawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starhawk/) > [I'm just trying to rid the world of all these fevered egos that are tainting our collective unconscious...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-m-just-trying-to-rid-the-world-of-all-these-fevered-egos-that-are/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I think maybe Mr. Sinise and Mr. Bacon have slightly bigger egos than I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-roberts/i-think-maybe-mr-sinise-and-mr-bacon-have-slightly-bigger-egos-than-i/) [Eric Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-roberts/) > [People expect not just songwriters but all personalities to pontificate about their egos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/people-expect-not-just-songwriters-but-all-personalities-to/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [“Men tend to think all of their points were good, and they sure as hell didn’t need me to boost their already inflated egos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-rain/men-tend-to-think-all-of-their-points-were-good-and-they-sure-as-hell/) [J.R. Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-rain/) > [You've noticed a change huh ? She doesn't text you as often . She never calls you anymore . When she does text you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delaney-ridnour/you-ve-noticed-a-change-huh-she-doesn-t-text-you-as-often-she-never/) [Delaney Ridnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delaney-ridnour/) > [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/) ## More by Mike Krzyzewski > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Good sound habits are more important than rules - use concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/good-sound-habits-are-more-important-than-rules-use-concepts/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Always get back to your core principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/always-get-back-to-your-core-principles/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Parents can really help, but they can also really hinder the development of their youngsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/parents-can-really-help-but-they-can-also-really-hinder-the/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [That's what I do now: I lead and I teach. If we win basketball games from doing that, then that's great, but I lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/that-s-what-i-do-now-i-lead-and-i-teach-if-we-win-basketball-games/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [I hated to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-hated-to-lose/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [We lost, and that's the main thing that went wrong,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/we-lost-and-that-s-the-main-thing-that-went-wrong/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Leadership is simple: Add value to people everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/leadership-is-simple-add-value-to-people-everyday/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [As teachers and coaches, we must remember that when mere winning is our only goal, we are doomed to disappointment and failure. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/as-teachers-and-coaches-we-must-remember-that-when-mere-winning-is/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [I don't think we surprise people. We try to out-execute them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-think-we-surprise-people-we-try-to-out-execute-them/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [A common mistake among those who work in sport is spending a disproportional amount of time on "x's and o's" as compared to time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/a-common-mistake-among-those-who-work-in-sport-is-spending-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [If you set up an atmosphere of community and trust, it becomes a tradition. Older team members will establish your credibility with newer ones.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/if-you-set-up-an-atmosphere-of-community-and-trust-it-becomes-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Confidence shared is better than confidence only in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/confidence-shared-is-better-than-confidence-only-in-yourself/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [A leader's responsibility to his team is paramount. It overshadows even his own personal feelings at any given time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/a-leader-s-responsibility-to-his-team-is-paramount-it-overshadows/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [The only way you're going to grow is to be in difficult situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/the-only-way-you-re-going-to-grow-is-to-be-in-difficult-situations/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) [Explore all 171 Mike Krzyzewski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) ## More Basketball quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [What I've talked about the entire series and throughout this playoffs is about intensity and effort, desire and will of our players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laimbeer/what-i-ve-talked-about-the-entire-series-and-throughout-this-playoffs/) [Bill Laimbeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laimbeer/) [Browse all 5,387 Basketball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even though we want huge individual egos, our collective ego is unbelievable.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Krzyzewski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/even-though-we-want-huge-individual-egos-our-collective-ego-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/even-though-we-want-huge-individual-egos-our-collective-ego-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/mike-krzyzewski-2324_basketball_even-though-we-want-huge-individual-egos_1945575.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/mike-krzyzewski-2324_basketball_even-though-we-want-huge-individual-egos_1945575.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/mike-krzyzewski-2324_basketball_even-though-we-want-huge-individual-egos_1945575.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Even though we want huge individual egos, our collective ego is unbelievable.” — Mike Krzyzewski", "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": "Mike Krzyzewski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Even though we want huge individual...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/even-though-we-want-huge-individual-egos-our-collective-ego-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/even-though-we-want-huge-individual-egos-our-collective-ego-is/#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 } } ] } ```