Namaste I'll share a very interesting story with you.
I recently went to Shimla along with my son.
He is 8 years old.
Fathers and deeds.
And when I was in Shimla.
Remembered one incident that happened when I visited Shimla the last time.
And it was maybe around 10-12 years back.
That time I went along with my wife.
So we were just roaming around on the mall road.
And we entered one showroom.
We started looking at shawls.
And my wife liked one Pashmina shawl.
And as a true Indian,
I started negotiating with the shopkeeper.
I said,
What kind of discounts can you give us?
And he said that they don't really offer any discount.
And we'll get the same piece in Delhi,
Maybe 2x,
3x of the price that they have.
And at one point,
Shopkeeper asked,
Where are you staying?
And he asked it very subtly.
And I said we're staying at Wildflower Hall.
Now if you don't know about Wildflower Hall,
That was and still is the most expensive hotel in Shimla.
And I remember I could feel a sense of pride.
Right?
My chest.
Getting inflated.
Uh.
.
.
It was a different feeling.
And after listening to it,
He said,
Sir,
You are staying in Wildflower Hall.
This cost is nothing for you.
We don't really give any discounts.
And he became even more rigid and he didn't really offer any discount.
And finally,
We bought the shawl.
Now why am I telling you this story?
The entity.
That felt pride.
That got inflated.
Artificially inflated.
Who was that entity?
That's ego for you.
Classic case of ego.
Despite knowing.
That why is this person asking me this question.
And if I tell him it will only Weaken my case.
Weaken my negotiation power.
I still went ahead and told him,
And not only told him,
Told him with a sense of pride,
With a sense of,
You know,
I'm staying at Wildflower Hall.
I'm just acting it up.
I tried to make it very subtle.
I'm staying at Wildflower Hall.
Can you see the structure of ego?
Can you see how cunning it is?
Activities.
Despite knowing that it is only going to weaken my case,
It is going to.
Result in a loss,
I still.
.
.
Went ahead and proudly told him.
I could have avoided that question.
I could have said something else but I there is there was something in me that wanted to become bigger better and more and that's ego ego wants to become bigger,
Better in the eyes of others.
We become bigger and better in our own eyes when we see that in other's eyes.
That's the structure of ego.
Isn't it funny?
And isn't it sad?
Isn't it?
Cringe.
How?
We are okay to harm ourselves in this case harm in monetary terms but we are okay to harm ourselves in order to feel internally.
Did I become me,
Bigger or better?
I met that person for the first time.
And I think I am now.
Not really going to meet him.
In my life again.
But still I that's that means my ego chose to feel bigger.
That's how ego works.
We are even okay to harm ourselves as long as ego thrives,
Survives.
And inflates So.
.
.
When we become of this pattern.
It loosens up.
But it was a funny,
Strange story that I realized in this trip and thought of sharing it with you all.
