--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe it's my ego. Maybe I crave someone…" description: "\"“Maybe it's my ego. Maybe I crave someone who will never be my rival.”\" — Sylvia Plath" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/sylvia-plath-149_rival_maybe-it-s-my-ego-maybe-i-crave-someone_1621395.jpg" --- # Maybe it's my ego. Maybe I crave someone who will never be… ![“Maybe it's my ego. Maybe I crave someone who will never be my rival.” quote by Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/sylvia-plath-149_rival_maybe-it-s-my-ego-maybe-i-crave-someone_1621395.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/sylvia-plath-149_rival_maybe-it-s-my-ego-maybe-i-crave-someone_1621395.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/sylvia-plath-149_rival_maybe-it-s-my-ego-maybe-i-crave-someone_1621395.jpg) > ““Maybe it's my ego. Maybe I crave someone who will never be my rival.”” [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker suspects their ego drives a desire for an unattainable, non‑rivalrous partner. **In simple terms:** She craves a partner who won't compete with her. Key Takeaway Recognize and examine underlying motivations in relationships. Themes ego desire competition Mood introspective melancholic Type literary psychological When to use this quote - dating - friendship - creative collaborations - personal growth Key Concepts psychology romantic idealism self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - Why do we seek partners who don't challenge us? - What does this reveal about self‑esteem? A Different Perspective May idealize unrealistic relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crave Rival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crave-rival-277386/) [Ego Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego-maybe-277384/) [Maybe Crave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-crave-277387/) [Maybe Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-ego-277385/) [Rival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rival/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes, I seem to be only able to actually move and get going with things on the razor edge of possibly still managing whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hall/sometimes-i-seem-to-be-only-able-to-actually-move-and-get-going-with/) [Steven Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hall/) > [Maybe I'm ego-tripping, but I don't find myself a particularly horrible person, so I don't think I need to hold back anything I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/maybe-i-m-ego-tripping-but-i-don-t-find-myself-a-particularly/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [You didnt love her. you just didnt want to be alone or maybe, maybe she was good for your ego or, or maybe she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya/you-didnt-love-her-you-just-didnt-want-to-be-alone-or-maybe-maybe-she-2/) [Kenya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya/) > [You didn't love her. You just didn't want to be alone. Or maybe, maybe she was good for your ego. Or maybe she made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-didn-t-love-her-you-just-didn-t-want-to-be-alone-or-maybe-maybe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You didn't love me you just didn't want to be alone or maybe she was just good for your ego or maybe she made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-van-wyk/you-didn-t-love-me-you-just-didn-t-want-to-be-alone-or-maybe-she-was/) [Simone Van-wyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-van-wyk/) > [You DIDNT LOVE her. you just DIDNT want to be ALONE. Or maybe, just maybe she was good for your EGO.Or, maybe she made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salma-rodriguez/you-didnt-love-her-you-just-didnt-want-to-be-alone-or-maybe-just/) [Salma Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salma-rodriguez/) > [You didnt love her. You just didnt want to be alone. Or maybe, maybe she was good foryour ego. Or, or maybe she made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ladyshady/you-didnt-love-her-you-just-didnt-want-to-be-alone-or-maybe-maybe-she/) [LadyShady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ladyshady/) > [You didn't love her. You just didn't want to be alone. Or maybe, she was just good for your ego. Or, maybe she made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-didn-t-love-her-you-just-didn-t-want-to-be-alone-or-maybe-she-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Andre Agassi was my rival in the '90s, and I think as we got older we sort of transcended the game. He was probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sampras/andre-agassi-was-my-rival-in-the-90s-and-i-think-as-we-got-older-we/) [Pete Sampras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sampras/) > [“Together, we form a necessary paradox; not a senseless contradiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/together-we-form-a-necessary-paradox-not-a-senseless-contradiction/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I embrace my rival, but only to strangle him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/i-embrace-my-rival-but-only-to-strangle-him/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [“... truth, whose mother is history, who is the rival of time, depository of deeds, witness of the past, example and lesson to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/truth-whose-mother-is-history-who-is-the-rival-of-time-depository-of/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [Every day is like survival. You're my lover, not my rival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/culture-club/every-day-is-like-survival-you-re-my-lover-not-my-rival/) [Culture Club](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/culture-club/) > [Life is art's rival and vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyndham-lewis/life-is-art-s-rival-and-vice-versa/) [Wyndham Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyndham-lewis/) > [To realise belatedly that there are Swahili epic poems which rival their European equivalents for sweep and power has been exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-foden/to-realise-belatedly-that-there-are-swahili-epic-poems-which-rival/) [Giles Foden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-foden/) ## More by Sylvia Plath > [“It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/it-was-a-queer-sultry-summer-the-summer-they-electrocuted-the/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I love life. But it is hard and I have so much, so very much to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-love-life-but-it-is-hard-and-i-have-so-much-so-very-much-to-learn/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [... These are my hands My knees. I may be skin and bone, Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman. ... --Lady Lazarus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/these-are-my-hands-my-knees-i-may-be-skin-and-bone-nevertheless-i-am/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“People were made of nothing so much as dust, and I couldn't see that doctoring all that dust was a bit better than writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/people-were-made-of-nothing-so-much-as-dust-and-i-couldn-t-see-that/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“I couldn't stand the idea of a woman having to have a single pure life and a man being able to have a double…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-couldn-t-stand-the-idea-of-a-woman-having-to-have-a-single-pure/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I saw the gooseflesh on my skin. I did not know what made it. I was not cold. Had a ghost passed over? No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-saw-the-gooseflesh-on-my-skin-i-did-not-know-what-made-it-i-was-not/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I have to live my life, and it is the only one I’ll ever have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-have-to-live-my-life-and-it-is-the-only-one-i-ll-ever-have/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“The city had faded my tan, though. I looked yellow as a Chinaman. Ordinarily, I would have been nervous about my dress and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-city-had-faded-my-tan-though-i-looked-yellow-as-a-chinaman/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Joy:show joy & enjoy: then others will be joyful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/joy-show-joy-enjoy-then-others-will-be-joyful/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [A million years of evolution, Eric said bitterly, and what are we? Animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/a-million-years-of-evolution-eric-said-bitterly-and-what-are-we/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“I have stitched life into me like a rare organ --from "Three Women: A Poem for Three Voices", written 1962”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-have-stitched-life-into-me-like-a-rare-organ-from-three-women-a/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [It is so much safer not to feel, not to let the world touch me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/it-is-so-much-safer-not-to-feel-not-to-let-the-world-touch-me/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“Flute Notes from a Reedy Pond" Now coldness comes sifting down, layer after layer, To our bower at the lily root. Overhead the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/flute-notes-from-a-reedy-pond-now-coldness-comes-sifting-down-layer/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“The most saddening thing is to admit that I am not in love. I can only love (if that means self denial - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-most-saddening-thing-is-to-admit-that-i-am-not-in-love-i-can-only/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) [Explore all 1,098 Sylvia Plath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) ## More Rival quotes > [To realise belatedly that there are Swahili epic poems which rival their European equivalents for sweep and power has been exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-foden/to-realise-belatedly-that-there-are-swahili-epic-poems-which-rival/) [Giles Foden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-foden/) > [Life is art's rival and vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyndham-lewis/life-is-art-s-rival-and-vice-versa/) [Wyndham Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyndham-lewis/) > [Every day is like survival. You're my lover, not my rival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/culture-club/every-day-is-like-survival-you-re-my-lover-not-my-rival/) [Culture Club](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/culture-club/) > [“... truth, whose mother is history, who is the rival of time, depository of deeds, witness of the past, example and lesson to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/truth-whose-mother-is-history-who-is-the-rival-of-time-depository-of/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [I embrace my rival, but only to strangle him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/i-embrace-my-rival-but-only-to-strangle-him/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [“Together, we form a necessary paradox; not a senseless contradiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/together-we-form-a-necessary-paradox-not-a-senseless-contradiction/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Andre Agassi was my rival in the '90s, and I think as we got older we sort of transcended the game. He was probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sampras/andre-agassi-was-my-rival-in-the-90s-and-i-think-as-we-got-older-we/) [Pete Sampras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sampras/) > [There are people who, on meeting a successful rival, no matter in what, are at once disposed to turn their backs on everything good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/there-are-people-who-on-meeting-a-successful-rival-no-matter-in-what/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [How much in love with himself, and that too without a rival!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/how-much-in-love-with-himself-and-that-too-without-a-rival/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I think Gilbert Burns is going to become my greatest rival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chiesa/i-think-gilbert-burns-is-going-to-become-my-greatest-rival/) [Michael Chiesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chiesa/) > [I'd rather give up and end I don't want to be your rival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romeo-santos/i-d-rather-give-up-and-end-i-don-t-want-to-be-your-rival/) [Romeo Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romeo-santos/) > [The artist is not the transcriber of the world, he is its rival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-malraux/the-artist-is-not-the-transcriber-of-the-world-he-is-its-rival/) [Andre Malraux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-malraux/) > [I have never considered myself a poet. Therefore, I am not a rival of anyone, and I do not consider anybody my rival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-iqbal/i-have-never-considered-myself-a-poet-therefore-i-am-not-a-rival-of/) [Muhammad Iqbal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-iqbal/) > [Either you have a rival or you don't. If you have one, you must please in order to be preferred to him, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-choderlos-de-laclos/either-you-have-a-rival-or-you-don-t-if-you-have-one-you-must-please/) [Pierre Choderlos de Laclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-choderlos-de-laclos/) > [There was a time when rival teams used a shift against me. They would put the second baseman on the shortstop's side of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harmon-killebrew/there-was-a-time-when-rival-teams-used-a-shift-against-me-they-would/) [Harmon Killebrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harmon-killebrew/) [Browse all 94 Rival quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rival/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Maybe it's my ego. 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