Thoughts on ego & memory
One of the reasons ego plays such a huge role in intelligence is that it determines what information we store in memory.
This idea came to me while reading an analysis of the rare elements market.
I noticed I wasn’t trying to memorize dates or numbers; I just wanted to understand the overall trend, the big players, and what’s worth paying attention to.
I can also see how a younger version of myself, or even my current self in moments of insecurity, might have focused on memorizing those details just to sound smart later - “Did you know that China controls 70% of mining?”
In every interaction in life, every video we watch, every conversation we have, every post we read — we’re deciding what to take with us and what to let go.
Letting go of that desire for small moments of recognition - maintaining a “smart person persona,” trying to impress others at dinner - frees up SO MUCH attention and mental energy for what truly matters, and allows you to actually grow.
